606 THE MICROSCOPE. 



on others, of which the eggs of the feathered tribes 

 furnish no example. The egg of the Mottled Umber 

 Moth (Erannis defolaria), Plate VI. JS T o. 137, is in every 

 particular very beautiful. It is ovoid, with regular 

 hexagonal reticulations, and at each corner studded with 

 a raised knob or button ; the space within the hexagon is 

 finely punctated, and the play of colours is exquisitely 

 delicate. In this egg no micropyle can be seen. The 

 egg of the Thorn Moth (Ennomos erosaria), Plate VL 

 No. 138, is of an elongated brick-looking form, one end of 

 which is slightly tapered off, while the other in which 

 the lid is placed is flattened and surrounded by a beauti- 

 fully white- beaded border, having for its centre a slightly 

 raised reticulated micropyle. The empty egg-shell gives 

 a fine opalescent play of colours, while that containing the 

 young worm appears of a brownish-yellow. 



The egg of the Straw-belle Moth (Aspilates gilvaria), 

 Plate VI. No. 139, is delicately tinted, somewhat long 

 and narrow, with sides slightly flattened or rounded off, 

 and irregularly serrated. The top is convex, and the base 

 a little indented, in which are seen the lid and micropyle. 

 The young worm, however, usually makes its way through 

 the upper convex side : the indentation represented in the 

 drawing shows the place of exit. 



An example of those eggs possessing a good deal of 

 natural colour is presented in that of the Common Puss 

 Moth (C. Vinula), a large spheroidal-shaped egg, having, 

 under the microscope, the appearance of a line ripe 

 orange ; the micropyle exactly corresponds to the depres- 

 sion left in this fruit by the removal of the stalk ; the sur- 

 face is finely reticulated, and the natural colour a deep 

 orange. 



The egg of the Mottled Rustic Moth (Caradina 

 Morpheus), jSTo. 124, is subcorneal, and equally divided 

 throughout by a series of ribs, which terminate in a well- 

 marked geometrically-formed lid. The Tortoise-shell . 

 Butterfly (Vanessa urtica), No. 125, presents us with a 

 delicate ovoid egg, divided into segments, the ribs of 

 which turn in towards the micropyle. The Common 

 Footman (Lithosia campanida), No. 126, produces a per- 

 fectly globular egg covered with fine reticulations, and of 



