82 



THE ENTOMOLOGIST S RECORD. 



dots of the inner surface are extremely definite, and their arrangement 

 is such as here and there to indicate where the outside ribbing exists, 

 the dots often seeming to be arranged in the cells. Plate iii., fig. 2, 

 shows the micropylar area of the egg of Adopaea jiava : the rosette is 

 very plain ; the sculpturing, which is a network of cells, not very 

 different from that of Ci/dopidefi, nevertheless has the boundaries of 

 the cells unmarked by ribs, and the interior dots are not, apparently, 

 present ; the outlines of the nearly hexagonal cells are, however, barely 

 visible under the microscope, but at the angles where these cells meet 

 are very marked lines that seem to be pores in the egg-shell, but also 

 might easily be taken for minute hairs. I have no doubt, however, 

 that they are lines in which the three cells meet, their lengths indicat- 

 ing the thickness of the egg-shell ; whether they are pores or more 

 solid material remains for me doubtful — a considerable number of 

 them are visible in the figure. In some older preparations, however, 

 where egg-contents have adhered in minute quantity, apparently to 

 the inside of the shell, the network is quite visible, and has much the 

 same appearance as that of C. palaemon (pi. ii., fig. 1). It is to be 

 noted that, in the case of Jiava, this is shown by the trace of 

 egg-contents having darkened by lapse of time. The egg-shells are 

 practicall}' colourless, and what the microscope (and figures) show is 

 an effect of refraction (pi. ii., fig. 1), showing the ribs rather wider 

 than, in viewing them in other ways, one concludes they really are. 



Description of egg. — C. palaemon (June 15th, 1907). — Egg palest straw in 

 colour, bun-shaped, but oval as seen from above. Longest diameter, 0"81mm. ; 

 shortest diameter, 0-72mm. ; height, 0-58mm. Base flat, with margins sharply 

 rounded. Upper part almost exactly of spherical outline, with the top flattened for 

 a width of about 0'24mm. ; in the centre of this is a very shallow, circular 

 depression, O'lSmm. across, with, apparently, steep walls and flat floor, the 

 micropylar rosette is in the centre of this, O'OBmm. in diameter, and on these views 

 looks raised, but this may be an effect due to the cells of the rosette giving a special 

 appearance of light and shade. The depression seems of slightly longer diameter 

 parallel with the longer diameter of the egg. The depression outside the rosette 

 seems to have a very fine netting, but this cannot be clearly seen in the living egg. 

 Outside the depression, on the top of the egg and a little way down the side, is an 

 irregular network marked by very fine, slender, raised ribs, only visible in a good 

 and favourable light. The cells of the network are about 0'03mm. across, longer in 

 the radial direction of the egg than across, irregular in form, hardly capable of 

 being called roughly hexagonal. No trace of the netting can be made out on the 

 sides of the egg, but here, and within the cells, the surface is covered with fine 

 granules or nodules of uniform size. Jane 2'2ii(i. — The hollow on top is now more 

 of the character described in Tutt's Brit. Lep., vol. viii., p. 201, it is almost a pit, 

 with the micropylar centre as a small, raised hill. This sinking of the top is, no doubt, 

 of the same nature as the " dent " in many eggs, viz., due to evaporation. The egg- 

 shell is extremely hard and strong, and would not " dent" anywhere except under 

 considerable force. What would happen could denting not occur, is not quite easy 

 to guess, but here is a definite provision for it. Close observation is desirable to 

 ascertain in other eggs how far the "micropylar depression" exists immediately 

 the egg is laid, and whether it is not formed later by this evaporating process. 

 The ribs forming the cells on the eggshell would appear to be external, but the 

 dots, or points, with which the egg is covered, seem to be internal, or on the inner 

 surface or substance of the shell. The micropylar rosette and a small area round it 

 are quite free from these two structures. Here there are only the cells forming the 

 rosette, which are marked off from each other by lines only. The rosette of cells 

 is about 0" 108mm. across, the pellucid area surrounding it about 0'2mm.* The 



* These measurements do not agree with those of the fresh egg, where the 

 micropylar depression was found to be O'lSmm. across on June 15th, to-day (June 

 22nd) the depression is found to be 0'24mm., showing that it became wider as the 

 depression deepens, and certainly makes it probable that when laid there is no 

 depression at all. 



