226 THE entomologist's eecord. 



size of those of the rosette ; at about the third row their outlines 

 begin to get dim, and by the sixth or seventh it is difficult to say that 

 one can really make them out. Beyond this the shell has no definite 

 markings or sculpturings, and its apparently minutely granular surface 

 is probably its real nature, but may result from the cement which 

 more or less covers it. On examining a newly-laid egg quite free from 

 gum and hairs, the colour is seen to be pale straw-yellow with a 

 whitish porcellanous area, including the whole micropylar end except 

 the micropylar spot. Over the surface of the egg is a number of 

 little dots, apparently raised, and they suggest that these positions are 

 at the meeting-points of the netting (not itself visible), but if so, they 

 are largely wanting, as the dots occur singly or in two and threes, as 

 if at those points of the cells nearest the micropyle, and not of all. 

 Towards the micropylar end a portion of eggshell made transparent 

 shows these dots not round as over the rest of the shell, but elongate 

 or pear-shaped, strongly resembling the mussel-shaped scales of some 

 coccids. — T, A. Chapman, Betula, Reigate. 



Eggs of Lepidoptera. — Trocliiliuiii ajiifoDiiis. — Mr. Bacot gave me 

 some eggs of this species sent hnn from Malta, with the information 

 that they are scattered freely in laying. The eggs bear out this state- 

 ment by being quite devoid of any surface for attachment, and rolling 

 about loosely just like those of Hepiali, and bounding elastically in the 

 same way when dropped, but being fiat instead of spherical they do not 

 roll quite so freely as those of Hepialiia. Lying on one side the 

 egg has an oval outline, the largest diameter being 0-63nim., the 

 shorter 0-54mm. It is not, however, exactly an ellipse, being just ap- 

 preciably narrowed towards the micropylar end, which is further 

 marked by being flattened, as though a portion, 0'012mm. thick, 

 had been cut oft'. Viewed edgewise, the egg is 0-37mm. thick, rather 

 thicker at the micropylar end by perhaps 0-01 2mm., and the flatten- 

 ing of this end is evident. Seen endwise, the diameters are of course 

 0-54mm. and 0-37nnii. The sides are flat, and one inclines to become 

 hollow by desiccation, but only slightly ; the edges are very rounded, so 

 that seen edgewise (sideways) the ends are nearly semi-circular, apart 

 from micropylar flattening. The sculpturing is difflcult to nuike out ; 

 at one stage the globules lining the shell show through, so as to give 

 the appearance of a surface raised into a number of flat bosses or 

 rounded corners. In certain lights, however, the true sculpturing may 

 be seen, as a very fine network (roughly hexagonal) of raised lines, 

 that stand out colourless above the brown material of the shell. The 

 diameter of each cell of the network is about 0-014mm. The micropyle 

 presents a minute central cell, pentagonal or hexagonal, O'OOomm. in 

 diameter, surrounded by five or six cells, the group being 0-015mm. in 

 diameter; round these are larger cells, probably the same as those of 

 the general surface, but difficult to see in the view obtained of the 

 micropyle. These eggs compare remarkably with those of T. 

 crabnniiforiiiis [beinbecitnniiis), being so much smaller (thoxigh pro- 

 portionally rather thicker), and especially in being scattered loosely 

 instead of being glued to a leaf. — T. A. Chapman. Ma;/, 1901. 



Ekuathm.— Paoe 17;i, line 15, for '• Yolti " ivad " Ydltri.' 



