Watt. — Ova of some of the Lepidoptera of IVew Zealand. 77 



micropylar cap is to one side of the micropyle itself, and in some cases con- 

 nects with the brown equatorial belt. The day before hatching the whole 

 of the egg is marbled with different shades of brown, and the larva can be 

 seen making slight movements within the egg, its black hairs being very 

 conspicuous. Infertile eggs turn a light pink, and collapse. 



Note. — Laid in batches in neat and regular rows. Well attached to 

 food plant, and slightly to each other. Laid in December. Period of in- 

 cubation is about nine days. The larva makes its first meal off the empty 

 egg-shell. 



"(Described, 13th December, 1912.) 



Plusia chalcites Esp. 



Plusia eriosoma Dbld., Dieff. N.Z., p. 285; Butl., Cat. Lep. N.Z., 

 p. 9, tab. 3, figs. 1, 2 ; Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst., 19, p. 36 ; Fere- 

 day, List N.Z. Lep., Trans. N.Z. Inst., 30, p. 336. P. chalcites 

 Hudson, N.Z. Moths and Butterflies, p. 35, pi. 6, fig. 3. 



This beautiful moth is very common in Wanganui throughout the summer, 

 and may often be caught hovering over the garden-flowers in the hot sunshine. 

 The larva has become a regular pest to the flower-gardener. The parent 

 moth lays its eggs on the buds of certain large flowers, such as dahlias, sun- 

 flowers, asters, and the like. The young larva burrows into and feeds on 

 the heart of the flower, and when finished with one betakes itself to another, 

 in this way spoiling many a large, seemingly perfect bloom, but which on 

 closer examination bears a huge caterpillar snugly coiled up in its very 

 heart. The pupa is encased in a light silken cocoon sandwiched between 

 two or more leaves. 



Ovum. Plate I, fig. 10. 



Class. — Upright. 



Shape. — A flattened sphere, wider at equator than in vertical section. 

 Base flat ; top flattened ; micropyle raised. 



Dimensions. — Height, 0-33 mm. ; diameter, 0-63 mm. 



Sculpture. — Strong corrugations or ribs radiate from the mioropyle 

 towards the equator, converging below. About two in three of the ribs 

 coalesce with another a little above the shoulder of the egg, but there is 

 irregularity in this respect. About thirteen main ribs reach the micropylar 

 area, and there are about forty ribs in all ; these are about 0-02 mm. apart 

 at the equator. BetAveen the ribs finer equidistant reticulations form almost 

 square cells, fairly deep. 



Micropyle. — Consists of a small circular cell in midst of a rosette of seven 

 elongated, pear-shaped cells. The rosette is surrounded by two bands or 

 belts of hexagonal cells. The walls of these form the origin of the main 

 ribs. 



Shell. — Very fragile ; transparent ; shiny ; smooth within cells. 



CWowr.— When fresh laid, a pale cream, which, if anything, gets slightly 

 lighter. The larva can be seen within the shell before hatching. Infertile 

 eggs quickly collapse. 



Note. — Laid singly. Are well attached to food plant, and in most cases 

 cannot be removed without breakage. Laid in May, and even as early as 

 March. Period of incubation, about a month. The larva emerges at micro- 

 pylar end. 

 "(Described, 20th May, 1912.) 



