62 [August, 



colour, it is of a lively pale gi*een. The pedicle is now stiff enough to support the 

 egg without mucli bending. After depositing one ovum, the ? simply moves forward 

 a few steps and repeats the operation. The ova in the box are fixed in four nearly 

 straight rows, but this arrangement is to be attributed to the artificial nature of the 

 surface presented ; on the broom they are ranged in one row along the twigs. 

 The insect is very neat in its ways, continually cleaning its antennse and feet, by 

 passing the former through the claws of the fore-feet and the three pairs of feet 

 through its palpi. Having accidentally hurt one of her hind legs, the Chrysopa has 

 brouglit it forward to her mouth and licked it, as a cat would lick its paw under 

 similar circumstances. 



July 17th. 8.15 p.m. 



A batch of Chrysopa eggs from the same bush is now hatching under my eyes. 

 The mature egg is pale fuscous ; the young larvse force their way out of the soft, 

 transparent, white egg-skin with the head foremost, till the whole body is liberated, 

 when they remain suspended by the last abdominal segment with the head down- 

 wards. Their bodies are now pale fuscous, their mandibles and legs transparent, 

 and they are covered with long, stiff, isolated, ciirved hairs. After a few minutes, 

 the last few abdominal segments are suddenly curved upwards, till the larva is able 

 to clasp the empty egg-skin with its legs. In this position, it rests again for a little 

 while with the last abdominal segment still in the egg-skin ; subsequently, the ter- 

 minal segment is withdrawn finally from the egg-skin, and the larva again rests. 

 The relative position of the resting larva to the deserted egg may be compared to 

 the letter O ; one side of the letter to represent the larva, and the other side the 

 egg-skin. The hind-body of the larva at this stage is very elongate, and in a resting 

 position is still kept bent round the basal part of the egg, without, however, touching 

 the latter, the larva being kept in position by clasping the circumference of the egg 

 with its limbs. After thus resting, it ascends the egg and begins to climb up tlie 

 stalk by holding on with the feet only, but using the hind-body occasionally both as 

 " balan9oire " and as propeller, as circumstances may require. Once on the plant, 

 it is as nimble and active as if it had been on its legs for a long time, instead of 

 just having quitted the egg. When fully stretched out, it is 2i millimetres in 

 length, the liead broader than the next segment, the remainder of the segments 

 gradually tapering towards the last. Colour of the head dark fuscous, nearly black 

 and polished ; body many shades lighter, of a dirty fuscous hue. It is singular that, 

 although the head itself is very dark, the formidable, crooked mandibles it carries 

 are still almost transparent. These young larva? are fidl of slow play, if I may use 

 such a paradoxical expression. They amuse themselves by ascending and climbing 

 down the deserted egg-stalks, and, in short, act exactly like so many little bears, 

 which mammal they also superficially resemble in theij' hairy coats, and their manner 

 of slow, deliberate climbing with outstretched limbs. — Albert Mullek, South Nor- 

 wood, S.E. : nth July, 1872. 



Occurrence of Sixi/ra Dalii, McLacli., in ahundance. — -On the 5th inst. — one of 

 the hottest days this year — I proceeded to the banks of the Mole beyond Eeigate, at 

 the spot where, in 18G6, I took a few specimens of Sisyra Dalii, and found the insect 

 in great abundance, tliougli, owing to the intense heat, manv of (liem were dead and 



