Watt. — Ova of some of the Lepidoptera of New Zealand. 93 



Dimensions. — Length, 0-58 mm. ; height, 0-35 mm. ; width, 0-35 mm. 



Sculpture. — Finely ribbed longitudinally. No transverse reticulations. 

 Kibs almost parallel, 0-05 mm. apart, about twenty-two in number. In 

 some cases two ribs coalesce some distance from the micropylar end, and 

 continue to the. micropyle as one. 



Micropyle.— Micropylar end flattened and slightly sculptured in very 

 shallow cell formation. Micropyle consists of a small circular cell about 

 0-015 mm. diameter. Very indistinct. 



Shell. — Very strong ; slight sheen ; transparent ; entirely covered with 

 extremely minute pimples when viewed with a high power. At the micro- 

 pylar end these are larger, though less numerous than on rest of egg, being 

 twice as high as broad ; height. 0-015 mm. 



Colour. — When fresh laid, light cream tinged with green, changing in 

 about a week to light grey slightly tinged with purple. The purple tint 

 becomes stronger at the micropylar end, shading off towards the base. 



Note.- — Very well attached to object. Laid singly and in small bunches 

 inserted in cracks and crannies. When laid in lots they are arranged, end 

 to end, in regular rows. Eighty- three eggs obtained. Laid, 9th January; 

 hatched, 28th January = nineteen days. Larvae emerge from micropylar 

 end. 



(Described, 10th January, 1913.) 



Alucita monospilalis Walk. 



Aciptilus monospilalis Walk., I.e., 950. A. patruelis Feld., Reise Nov., 

 pi. cxl, 56. A. monospilalis Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst., 17, p. 124. 

 Pterophorus monospilalis Hudson, Trans. N.Z. Inst., 28, p. 379. 

 Alucita monospilalis Meyr., Trans. N.Z. Inst., 45, p. 47. 



This very beautiful little moth is very common in Wanganui during the 

 summer. It is most common in November, and I have found numbers of the 

 ova, larvae, and pupae on the English ivy during this month. The moth is 

 again very plentiful in January, and still later in April. The larva feeds 

 on the upper surface of the leaf, quite exposed. It is very destructive to 

 the ivy on account of its great numbers and its voracious appetite. The 

 full-fed larvae simply suspend themselves from a silken pad on the under- 

 side of a leaf by means of the cremastral hooks on the anal segment ; no 

 cocoon or other protection for the pupa is used. 



Ovum. Plate II, fig. 8. 



Class. — Flat. 



Shape.— Extremely wafer-like. Longitudinal section oval ; ends well 

 rounded and equal. Transverse section oval ; top and bottom flattened 

 or quite flat. 



Dimensions. — Length, 0-47-0-49 mm. ; width, 0-37-0-38 mm. ; height, 

 0-19-0-23 mm. 



Sculpture. — Extremely fine ; hardly discernible even under high powers. 

 Very slight cellular structure on shell. 



Micropyle.— Small deep circular cell surrounded by four or more similar 

 but shallower cells. Very indistinct. About 0-02 mm. diameter. 



Shell. — Very transparent ; strong ; smooth ; highly glossy. 



Colour. — Pearly white. Light-yellowish areas appear around the margin 

 of the egg in about a week, and a small brown area (the caput) appears at 



