Aiitfust, 1874.] 49 



cfll, just like tliosc of .Bald niii its r/hiiiiHi/m, only on a smallei' scale, 

 with a few utlier similar pupin in the flower-pot, about three and a 

 half or four inches below the surface of the ground. The outside 

 time occupied iu the pupal change was approximately three weeks ; 

 but it was impossible to tell the time that had bceu required with ac- 

 curate precision, as the larvae did not bury themselves quite at one 

 time, and the pupse were fully formed when noticed on the 7th July. 



Returning now to a point passed over for the sake of presenting 

 the observations with some degree of continuity. Up to June 17th 1 

 had not been able to discover the Melif/ethes eggs ; but, finding in rape 

 that I was specially examining that there were larvse of most minute 

 size in the buds, I went on opening the undeveloped blossoms till I 

 came on two eggs in a rape bud, one egg placed on an anther, the 

 other dropping out fi'om the bud as I opened it, these eggs corres- 

 ponding in colour, shape, size, and texture with the eggs of the Meli- 

 gethes of which I had specimens laid by the beetles under careful 

 inspection. 



One of the eggs I found in the rape bud appeared opaque in the 

 middle, as if the futui-e larva were partially formed : this was in the 

 evening, and the next day, about 1.30 p.m., I noticed a discolouration 

 at one end of each of the rape eggs resembling the head of the eon- 

 tained larva^, showing through the pellicle of the egg. About 5.30 

 p.m. I found one egg empty, the other appeai'ed only as an empty 

 shell, and on the bud were two minute larva? exactly resembling those 

 of which I had examined so many lately. 



These observations were made upon the insects in their natural 

 Btate, and without any artificial restraint ; the following were made 

 upon the insects placed in confinement, and under constant obser- 

 vation : — 



On June 19th, I imprisoned some of the perfect insects under a 

 small bell-shaped glass, fitted on a cork base, and with a stopper re- 

 movable at pleasure, so that I could watch the inmates and supply 

 what might be necessary without materially disturbing them. Next 

 morning (June 20th) a few eggs were visible, and later in the day a 

 few more, but, on the following day, some of the eggs were missing ; 

 and, conjecturing from the fragments lying about that the MdijHhes 

 had bc'cn feeding on their own eggs, I removed the beetles from 

 the glass. 



These eggs were similar to those found in the rape buds, the 

 shape slichtly variable, and appearing to me to vary with the state of 



