60 THE entomologist's kecokd. 



Cirrhoedia xerainpelina. — The Qgg is of the Noctuid type, attached 

 by the base, and upright. It forms a very fiat depressed cone, the 

 width to the height ahnost 2:1. It is of a dark grey colour to the 

 naked eye (probably due to the colour of the embryo within, showing 

 through the transparent shell). Under a two-thirds lens, the egg is 

 glassy-looking, with 24 longitudinal ribs (running from base towards 

 the apex). Normally, these ribs should be alternately long and short, 

 the former running from the base to the summit, the latter stopping 

 short at about one-fourth the distance from the top. Really the longi- 

 tudinal ribs are rather irregular ; in one egg examined there were two 

 short ribs between two successive long ones, whilst in another case the 

 short one was missing. The twelve long ribs run over the edge of the 

 apex into the micropylar depression, and being lightly continued to 

 the centre of the base of the depression, they join in pairs and form 

 there a hexagonal rosette, in the centre of which is the micropyle. 

 The transverse ribs are continuous round the egg, forming distinct 

 knots where they cross the longitudinal ones. The whole system of 

 ribbing has the appearance of an open transverse network, the spaces 

 between the ribs appearing very deep, the surface of the egg not being 

 visible between the ribs. The network is much closer near the apex 

 of the egg. The sloping sides of the micropylar depression form 

 roughly hexagonal cells. The micropyle proper is situated in the centre 

 of the raised button, at the base of the micropylar depression. Mr. 

 Barnes (to whom I am indebted for the eggs) writes : — " The ova of 

 C. xerampeliiia were laid on Aug. 4th, 1896. They have turned from 

 bright or orange-red to the grey colour they now are, in nine days." 

 [The description of the egg was made under a two-thirds lens on Jan. 

 14th, 1897] . 



TiUacpa [Xanfhia) aiira;/(). — The egg is of the Noctuid type ; it 

 forms a depressed cone"-"' (much less depressed than the egg of 

 C. xcrampelina) , its height to breadth being about 2 : 3. Under a 1" 

 lens it is of a delicate purple-red hue, Avith distinct iridescence, the 

 micropyle appearing as a tiny black button at the apex of the egg. 

 The colour is much paler if held against the light, and the egg looks 

 almost semi-transparent. Under a two-thirds lens, one observes 

 that there are 15 vertical ribs (running from base to apex), each 

 alternate one failing before reaching the summit. The others pass 

 over the summit and unite to form an apical button, on which the 

 micropyle is situated. There is considerable variation in the arrange- 

 ment of the vertical ribs, one, two, and even three of the shorter ones 

 being sometimes obsolete in an egg. These ribs are broad, and leave 

 but little space between each other. There are about 30 indistinct 

 transverse ribs, which run round the egg in circles, crossing the vertical 

 ribs, where they become conspicuous. There is no well-marked apical 

 depression. This apical structure separates the egg very distinctly 

 from the egg of C. .rermnpiiina. To the naked eye the egg looks 

 chocolate-brown in colour, and its resemblance in colour to the scaly 

 bracts of the leaf-buds, upon which the eggs are laid, is very remark- 

 able. [This description was made on .Jan. 14th, 1897, from eggs sent 

 by Messrs. Clarke and Barnes, of Reading. Those sent by Mr. Barnes 



* Perhaps this type of ep;g would be better described as " ellipsoid," the lower 

 part of the ep;g contracting to the base, so that the basal diameter is less than the 

 equatorial diameter. 



