84 A tnials Entomological Society of America [Vol. Ill, 



The majority of eggs \aried between the following dimensions: 



Length 25-29 mm. 



Depth 1 5-1 7 mm. 



Width 12-13 nim. 



Shape and Color of Egg: The eggs resemble \ery small beans 

 with some variation in shape; some are ellipsoid, others ovoid 

 and still others nearly spherical in form. Their color is usualh' 

 a glossy black, except on the slightly more convex side which is 

 white; instead of the black, however, there may be light shades of 

 gray or light chocolate-brown. Out of a thousand eggs, twelve 

 showed the light shades of gray and only three, the light chocolate- 

 brown color. 



When the operculum is removed the egg, in this region, is 

 obliquely truncate and suiTounded by an elliptical or oval rim. 

 On the inner margin of this rim rested the operculum. The rim 

 is provided with a circle of yellow, chitinous, bristle-like projec- 

 tions. In most eggs the white color of the slightly more convex 

 side is continued around the base of the rim as a white line. 



Operculum: The operculum (Fig. 1, op) fits perfectly within 

 the rim of the egg capsule (Fig. i, /-/) and is usually set free when 

 the egg is broken. If the operculum is cleared, mounted and 

 examined under the microscope a ragged membrane is discern- 

 ible at its margin (Fig. 3, vi). This is the torn, so-called "shell 

 membrane" to which the operculum was attached. 



Sharp (16) who has described a number of Phasmid eggs, has 

 probably overlooked the fact, that the operculum is attached to 

 the so-called "shell membrane." He writes, the operculum 

 "is present in all known eggs of the Phasmidae; it is a lid that fits 

 very accurately to the truncate anterior extremity of the egg: 

 its margin is surrounded l)y a margin of the capsule, and it is ow- 

 ing to the perfect fit between the two that the operculum retains 

 its position." Miiller (13), however, in the case of Pliasnui 

 ferula claims that, "Am Rande des Ausschnitts springt die innere 

 Schalenhaut etwas vor, cin Rudiment dor WM-bindung der 

 Schale mit dem Deckelchen. Die innere Haut des Ueckelchens 

 und die innere Haut der Schale sind also an dem unverletzten 

 Jm ein Continuum." Leuckart (10) who has worked on the struc- 

 ture of the eggs of two sj)ecies of Phasmids belonging to different 

 genera also finds that, "Durch Hiilfe dieser Schalenhaut wird der 

 Deckel, der sonst \-ollkommen isolirt ist, in seiner Lage erhalten 

 und befestigt." 



