(t2 niilOSITIKS OK ENTOMOLOGY. 



tightly over it. The colour is a deep orange. A remarkable 

 instance of the change of colour, which occurs from pliy.'<iolo- 

 gical causes connected with tlie development of the embryo, 

 and one from which the insect partly derives its name, is seen 

 in the Endroinns versicolor, or Gloiy of Kent. The e^^ is 

 first bright yellow, then successively green, rose colour, and 

 reddish black. A still more familiar instance is presented in 

 the egg of the Bomhyx mori, or Silkworm moth (Fig. 11), 

 which, when first laid, is of a delicate pale yellow ; this hue it 

 retains for some time ; it is subsequently of a reddish brown, 

 and just before the embryo c^uits the egg it acquires a.slate 

 colour, partaking for the time being of the colour of the 

 embryo within ; but so soon as the worm emerges forth, the 

 shell regains its original pale yellow. The outer and inner 

 |)ortions of the egg membrane are represented magnified 150 

 diameters at a and 6 (Fig. 11). The Euproctls chrysorrhoua, 

 or Browntail moth (Fig. 12), produces a small spheroidal egg, 

 which, slightly flattened at the poles, is uniformly covered 

 with imbricated scales, and is terminated in the upper pole by 

 a geometrical series ; this moth appears to cover her eggs 

 with fine hairs, and the empty spherical egg-cases are beauti- 

 fully iridescent. The Pleris brassiccr, or White butterfly 

 (Fig. 1-3), lays an egg in shape vei-y like the basket employed 

 in lobster-fishing, a rarer form than any of the preceding. It 

 is conical, and of considerable length ; the lid forms the base, 

 which is slightly recurved upon the sides, and a regular series 

 of ribs with cross-bars runs from end to end. The eggs are 

 of a primrose colour and cemented at the base to the back or 

 leaf of the plant in symmetrical order. The Epinephile j antra, 

 or Meadow-brown butterfly (Fig. 14), lays a sub-conical egg, 

 considerably flattened towards the apex ; the raised ribs, which 

 stand away from the sides, have a silvery colour, and give to 

 the whole a corrugated ap])carance. The lid completely 

 occupies the top, and in a smaller inner circle the micropyle 

 is situated, which is better displayed when the lid is sepa- 

 rated from the egg, as shown at a. The Theda befuhr, or 

 Brown-hair streak butterfly (Fig. 15) presents a perfectly 

 wliitc, ('x<|uisitclv fi)rmed, sub-conical egg: at first sight it 



