xviii Lloyd's natural history 



them, singly or otherwise, according to the habit of the 

 species, in such a situation that the larvae, when hatched, will 

 find a plentiful supply of appropriate food. The eggs are 

 covered by a coating of varnish as a protection from the 

 weather ; and though many species pass the winter in other 

 stages, perhaps the majority hibernate in the egg-state. The 

 eggs may be round, oval, cylindrical, or conical. Some are 

 smooth, but many are beautifully ribbed. The form of the 

 eggs of several of our common Butterflies, as they appear 

 when highly magnified, are represented in Plate I. as follows : 



Fig. 3. Egg of Vanessa urticee, with several longitudinal 

 ridges. 



Fig. 4. Egg of Pieiis brassica, yellow, sub-conical, with 

 granulated longitudinal ribs, connected by elevated cross- 

 lines. 



Fig. 5. Egg of Epinephele tithonus, much more com- 

 pressed, but striated very much like the last. 



Fig. 6. Egg of Epinephele janiro, covered with a series of 

 imbricated scales. 



Fig. 7. Egg of Hipparchia hyperanthus, with rows of 

 raised points, not unlike a sea-urchin denuded of the spines. 



Fig. 8. Egg of Pararge egerides, covered with imbricated 

 scales. 



Butterflies rarely long survive the deposition of their eggs, 

 and are consequently unable to pay any further attention to 

 their offspring. 



Most eggs of Lepidoptera are semi-transparent, and, as they 

 approach maturity, the young larva can often be seen coiled 

 up inside. Some eggs are provided with a kind of lid, which 

 the larva pushes off when about to emerge. Those which are 

 either not fertilised, or are otherwise unproductive, generally 

 assume a shrunken appearance. Eggs are probably not much 

 exposed to the attacks of enemies, except from certain small 



