150 



THE entomologist's RECORD. 



DATE OF 

 I'AUUNG. 



Feb. IH 

 Feb. 28 



Mar. 



J PAKENT. 



T. bistortata 

 var. dcbniwrcnsix 

 (slightly crippled) 

 T. biitiidiilaria 

 do. 



(2nd pairg.) 

 Mar. 9 var. 

 „ 9 

 (2iul pairg.) 



delumerensis 

 do. 



Mar. 10 

 ., 11 

 „ 12 



T. liUuidularia 

 T. hixtnrtatd 

 var. (h-hnnerensis 

 (slightly crippled) 

 T. hiiindularia 

 do. 



5 P.^ENT. 



T. bistortata 

 T. hi>:tortatu 



T. bistortata 

 do. 



T. bistortata 

 do. 



2\ bistortata 

 var. delamerensis 

 T. bistortata 



OVIPOBITION. 



Ova, Feb. 20-21 

 nil 



Ova, March l(j 

 nil 



DATE OF 

 HATCHIXCi. 



April (5-7-8 



April 21-22 



Ova, March 14 April 18-19 

 Ova, March 13-14 April 18-19 



Ova, 



nil 

 March 15 

 nil 



April 2t;-27 



April 27-28 

 April 27-28 



Ova, March lG-17 



Ova, March 18 



Ova, Mar. 20-21-22 Apl. 2.5-2(1 



Ova, March 22 April 28-29 



The 



14 T. binndularia T. bistortata nil 



\\ 14 do. do. Ova, March 20 April 22-23 



(2nd pairg.) 

 Mar. 14 2 T. biundnlaria 2 T. binndularia 



,, 1-5 var. dehniicreiisis var. delanicrcnsis 



,, 17 2 T. histortatd 2 T. binndularia 



,, 20 var. dclanicrcnsis var. dclanwrcnsis 



This table shows that the insects are reciprocally fertile, 

 number of ova laid in each batch was between 200 and 300. 



I had an opportunity this year to compare the ova of each, side by 

 side. Those of T. hhtortata were larger, as I noticed in 1896 ; calcu- 

 lating roughly, the proportion of cubical contents would be about 4 : 3. 

 As might be expected, the eggs by $ T. lastortata, fertilised by S ^'• 

 liiuiiihdaria, produced ova of the size of those of T. bistortata, whilst 

 those laid by ? T. binndularia, fertilised by g T. bistortata, produced 

 smaller ova (the size of those of T. binndularia). As regards shape, 

 there seemed to me no constant difference, the irregularity of contour 

 in so many of the ova of all the broods being evidently due to pres- 

 sure, probably in extrusion through the long ovipositor, as I noticed 

 some of the ova passed with their long axes making an angle of 45 '^ 

 or more with the axis of the passage, as well as externally, as the 

 shell, though tenacious, appeared soft. In colour, I found a differ- 

 ence, the ova of T. bistortata being pale yellowish-green, whilst those of 

 T. Idnndnlaria and var. delann'rcnsis, and the crosses with either of 

 these for $ parent, were much brighter green, with a decided bluish 

 tinge. This difference was marked, so that the batches, when in 

 mass, could be easily separated. I found, however, that this brighter 

 bluish tinge was lost as the eggs developed, and after a time they all 

 became pale yellowish-green, until they assumed the dark sea-green 

 colour, which immediately precedes hatching. 



As my experience in this respect seems somewhat different from 

 that of Mr. Tutt, it is probable this variation in colour is not constant ; 

 at all events, the point requires further observation. The pupae of T. 

 bistortata (2nd brood), which I placed for three weeks in a refrigerator 

 directly they pupated last autumn, yielded five imagines, the first on 

 February 26th. Two were somewhat crippled, and none showed any 

 difierence from typical first brood T. bistortata. — April 'SOtii, lb97. 



^^ ARI ATION. 



Red-coloured aberrations of Smerinthus tili^e. — I have lately 

 come across a statement made by Mr. Barrett {British Lepidoptera), 



