SOUTH AFRICAN BAGWORMS. 175 



The Egg. 



Egg 0'90 by 0"60 mm., creamy white; egg membrane 

 colourless, smooth, without sculpture. No micropyle could 

 be observed. The eggs are packed closely together in the 

 chrysalis shell of the female and mixed with hairs from its 

 abdomen. 



When the time of hatching draws near, the eggs change in 

 colour to a dirty grey, the entire larva being plainly visible. 



Number. — The eggs laid by a female are very numerous, 

 ranging from 2-4000 and over. Eggs counted from four 

 different females gave the following numbers : 2293, 3047, 

 3307, and 4433, the fecundity being thus apparently still 

 greater than in the case of Acanthopsyche junodi. 



Deposition. — The eggs are laid in the chrysalis case in a 

 compact mass, mixed with the hairs and scales from the body, 

 the case remainiug inside the bag. When the full quota has 

 been laid, we find the chrysalis case filled for two-thirds of 

 its length, while the spent and shrivelled female either 

 remains at the neck of the bag or drops to the ground. The 

 young hatch in this protected situation and emerge on the 

 first favourable day. 



Incubation Period. — This was found to be fifty-four 

 days in one case where the date of copulation with a virgin 

 female was actually observed — i. e. from September 24th till 

 November 19th — and this period thus corresponds closely 

 Avith that of the Wattle Bagworm. 



The Rev. Junod states that the young appear twelve days 

 after copulation, but it is quite possible that he based his state- 

 ment on field observations. As the period of flight of the males 

 extends over nearly two months (the earliest moth observed 

 by us was seen on August 25th, and the last October 21st), 

 it is quite probable that the time between the last flying males 

 and the first young larvffi noticed should be some twelve days 

 only ; or, if based on actual observation, it may be that the 

 female had beeu fertilised some time previously, and was 

 visited by another, late flying, male. Our female wa^ reared 



