192 J"'>'- 



as the full length of the tibia; and tarsi of the fore-legs will allow, the tips of the 

 wings touch tlie pod, the abdominal extremity, which, were the moth at rest, would 

 in this attitude be hidden between tlic wings at some distance from the pod, is bent 

 down so that it meets its surface at almost a right angle. It is not, however, 

 specially bent down at the moment, but has been maintained against the surface of 

 the pod during the walk up the stalk and pod, and it has obviously been by its 

 tactile sense that the proper spot has been selected. The actual oviposition takes 

 from 40 to 60 seconds. When the pod is long enough the moth generally crawls 

 further up and makes one or two further layings in the same pod. 



On opening the pod, two or even three eggs may sometimes be found at the 

 same place ; from noticing on one occasion that the two eggs so placed side by side 

 were not of apparently the same age, I incline to think that the moth only lays one 

 egg at eacli place, and that two or more eggs together mean that two or more layings 

 have been made at the same place by the same, or, more likely, by different moths. 



A pod examined immediately the moth has laid shows externally only the 

 faintest longitudinal mark that one is doubtful about, till opening the pod and finding 

 the egg within confirms the observation, so slight is the damage done by the incision, 

 or so rapidly is it repaired. The position is in the margin of the dissepiment, close 

 to the margin of, but not in, the dehiscent plate. 



The pod selected is usually about half inch in length, with seeds not much 

 larger than the egg of the motli. A moth was seen apparently ovipositing in a pod 

 a quarter of an inch long, but no egg could be found within, and there was in fact no 

 cavity within sufficient to contain an egg, as the moth had probably discovered. 



When laid, the egg is 0"46 mm. in length, and 0'16 in width, of an ovoid shape, 

 that is, narrower at one end. After some days the egg grows to a length of 0.60 mm., 

 and a width of 0.28 mm., the shape is now more distinct, and may be called pear- 

 shaped, the narrow end having a collar or neck. The development of the young 

 larva within is easily seen ; when the egg has attained the full size noted (by ab- 

 sorption of fluid ?), the young larva is to be seen within coiled or rather doubled up 

 within an interior membranous, nearly globular sac, the ends of the egg proper con- 

 taining clear fluid. The nuclei of the cells forming the egg shell may be noticed, 

 but it has no other sculpturing except a few radiating lines, marking the micropyle 

 at tlie narrow end. 



In 189t', the eggs hatched about June 10th ; on June 17th the larva was l"6mm. 

 in length, eating the seeds and dissepiment, on the 22nd it had moulted, and was 

 22 mm. in length ; head and six legs of ordinary Lepidojjterous type, with well- 

 developed palpi, and other mouth parts, various hairs on head, and a series of lateral 

 hairs, two on each side of each segment, no distinct prolegs ; interior anatomy very 

 easily seen, owing to transparency, skin under a higher power, beautifully shagreened 

 with rows of raised dots. 



It is still apparently in this second skin when it is set free and becomes a case- 

 bearer ; this took place on June 28th. It is set free by the natural dehiscence of 

 the pod, the two lateral plates falling off in the cruciferous manner. The lai'va has 

 provided for this contingency, and already inhabits a case. Tlie greater part of this 

 case consists of the husk of one of the seeds, so divided that a half forms either side 

 of the case, but not being large enough in one example drawn, is supplemented by 

 silk and frass at both ends, and along one margin, tlie length of the husk being 



