ON THE SHEDDING OF THE CORNUTI IN PYRAUSTA AURATA. 107 



these, in the extended genus by Staudinger and Meyrick (really 

 Hampson, Pro. Z. S.), I have not met with the arrangement, but 

 I have of course only examined a few of the very numerous species. 



In these Pyraustas the eversible membrane that Pierce calls the 

 "vesica" and has by some been called the "penis," a name often 

 applied to the tedoeagus, but which really should be used only for these 

 two structures taken together, is of very great length, and possesses at 

 one point, which in quiescence is accommodated within the aedoeagus, 

 an armature of cornuti. 



In the only species I propose to refer to at present, Fijramta 

 anrata [pimicealU), the cornuti consist of one comparatively very large 

 spine and a number of smaller ones. 



These are well seen in Plate IV. In fig. 1 their general relationship 

 to the whole male appendages is seen ( x 30). In fig. 2, the portion of the 

 fedoeagus containing them is magnified by 100. The large spine is 

 seen to be nearly O'Smm. long, smooth, curved, and pointed, basally 

 it is somewhat bulbously expanded, and is clothed with short hair-like 

 processes, resembling a bottle-brush. The smaller cornuti are less 

 deeply chitinised, and, therefore, more transparent, but the bases and 

 attachments of a few of them are well shown ; they are about 0-2mm. 

 long. Such is the appearance of the male structures before pairing 

 has taken place. After that has taken place appearances are as shown 

 in Plate V., where the same parts, at the same magnification, show 

 very clearly the points of attachment of the cornuti, but the spines 

 themselves are conspicuous by their absence. 



When we examine the female structures we find a reversal of all 

 this ; in a female that has paired we discover the presence of these 

 cornuti, of which no trace exists in the virgin state. I have not 

 thought it necessary to present photographs of the parts when the 

 cornuti are absent as they really show nothing except that the cornuti 

 are not seen, but I present photographs. Plates VI. and VII., of two 

 specimens after pairing. Fig. 1, m each plate, shows the terminal 

 segments of the abdomen, the extremely long, coiled, and convoluted 

 duct connecting these with the bursa co/mlatrix and other associated 

 structures, of the details and uses of which I am very ignorant. In 

 Plate VI. the enlarged photograph of the bursa and associated parts 

 shows that the duct, of which Fig. 1 has demonstrated a lengthy 

 portion partially free, continues a further complicated series of con- 

 volutions that are held together in some way that does not affect the 

 lower portion, and obscures several sacs associated with the bursa 

 proper. This bursa I take to be the sac marked by the speculated 

 plate seen to the right side of Fig. 2, whilst the male cornuti are 

 contained in a mere structureless sac, where they may be seen towards 

 the left lower portion of the preparation. 



In the other example, Plate VII. , much the same conditions are 

 seen, the large spine has, however, escaped by a rent made in mounting 

 the preparation from a transparent sac that is not the one carrying 

 the spiculated plate, whilst the smaller cornuti are held in another 

 portion of the convoluted mass. The large spine has turned round in 

 the interval of taking the two photographs, the medium used in 

 mounting having been still rather fiuid. 



How are these spines conveyed through the great length of coiled 

 tubing from the exterior to these places so far from the surface ? 



