52 ■ [March, 



The ova of C. dorsalis are 0.8 mm. in lengtli, ovoid in form, and of a beautifixl 

 shade of f iJl, rich green. They are attached to the footstalks by the smaller end, 

 and are laid singly and not in a cluster, as in the case of some other species. 

 The footstalks measure aboxit 85 mm. Emergence takes place from the apex of 

 the ovum. I do not think the shells are eaten by the yoving larvte, the actiial 

 egress being made by the rupture of the shell through the strviggles of the 

 young larva within. By the second day a change of colour begins to take 

 place. Tlie ovmn darkens at one side, the apex and remaining portion showing 

 a light yellowish shade of green. On the fifth day, the ovum appeared greyish 

 to the naked eye, but through a lens the embryo could plainly be seen showing 

 throiTgh the trai:sparent shell, the rings of the liody appearing as transverse 

 bars. The first ovum liatched on the eighth day, l^ut otliers emerged on the 

 ninth, and some en the tenth day after oviposition. 



The larvse, when newly hatched, measiu'e just under 2 mm. in length. 

 Colour, transparent whitish. Head with characteristic markings, and eyes 

 a faint brown. Sucking sjiears and antennm white, transparent ; legs ditto. 

 Thorax pale yellowish-green. Ahdo7nen ringed with reddish-brown. Warts 

 with two whitish hairs, which are long in this species, giving it in general 

 appearance a very hairy look. With reference to the head markings, I may 

 remark here, that I have found these constant and also distinct in every species 

 of Chrysopa which I have yet bred ; indeed, I think it shoiild be quite easy to 

 identify different species in the larval stage from these markings alone. I am 

 trying to collect drawings or photographs of each of our British species, and 

 should be very glad to receive larva? of any I have not yet been able to 

 meet with. 



The newly hatched larv£B remained motionless for nearly foiu- hoixrs after 

 emergence, and some of them, as I found to my cost when too late, attacked 

 other ova lying near them, if not removed as soon as activity commenced. 

 I could not discover more than two ecdyses, though it seems difficult to believe 

 that the larva can attain its full size, 8 to 9 mm., with only two changes. The 

 first change seems to take place aboiit the fourth or fifth day, the second from 

 four days to a week or so afterwards, the period varying with the rapidity or 

 otherwise of the feeding up. When full growai the larva; become much more 

 sluggish. In general appearance they strike one as very hairy, but I do not 

 think they show any real disposition to cover themselves with Aphis skins, 

 though these frequently got entangled in the long hairs, and were involun- 

 tarily carried about. When a change of skin is effected the larva attaches 

 itself to some (convenient spot by its Itail, hanging head downwards. The 

 change is complete, even to thejsucking spears. 



Tlie most striking featiire in the general appearance of the larvse 

 is the conspicuous marking of the meso- and meta-thorax. These 

 segments, including the conspicuous warts on the sides, are wholly 

 dark bro^oi, with the exception of a quadrate- shaped spot in the 

 middle of each of a lighter shade. The rest of the markings are of 

 the complicated order general to the Chrysopids, and after one or two 

 attempts, I quite failed to get anything like a life-like drawing, which 



