88 Annals Entomological Society of America [Vol. III. 



of this membranous tube, the \iteUine membrane micropyle, 

 into the vitelHne membrane. The sperm thus enters the miero- 

 ])ylar orifice, passes through the micropylar canal, then through 

 the membranous tube and out of the vitelline membrane 

 mycropyle to reach the egg. 



Miillcr's (13) supposition thai the sperm passes from the 

 seminal receptacle, through the common oviduct, then into the 

 oviducts to the ovarian tubule and fertilizes the egg before the 

 chorion is formed is entirely erroneous. Leuckart (10) from 

 observations on Gomphocerus found that the micropyles, "nicht 

 von Anfang an dem Chonon zukommen. sondern erst nach der 

 Ablagerung desselben durch Resorption ihren Ursprung neh- 

 men * * * * Eine Bestatigung dieser Beobachtung finde ich 

 darin, dass ich nicht selten (wie u. a. .bie Borborus, Tetanocera 

 und verwandten Fliegen) Eierstockseier antraf. dcrcn Micro- 

 ])ylapparat noch ohen Oeffnung war, sonst aber bereits vollkom- 

 men entwickclt schien." 



"Vor der Ablagerung des Chorions habe ich an der Dotter- 

 haut niemals cine Micropyle wahrgenommen * * * * Wohl aber 

 habe ich Falle beobachtet, in denen bci Anwesenheit der Chorion- 

 micropyle die Dotterhaut noch ohne Loch zu sein schien." In 

 all probability the eggs of the walking-stick are fertilized as the\' 

 pass below the opening of the seminal receptacle. 



The Biological Significance of the Resemblance of the Phasmid 

 Eggs to Seeds: A number of naturalists have called attention to 

 the striking resemblance of the Phasmid egg to a seed. In 

 some cases, the egg resembles the seed of the natural food plant 

 of the insect. 



In seventeen species of Phasmids obtained from Lifu and New 

 Britan, Shaip (16) has described the eggs of a number of these. 

 In regard to the resemblance of the eggs to seeds he writes : "The 

 climax of the ]:)eculiarities is found in the extremely perfect 

 structure of their eggs and the resemblance of these eggs to seeds. 

 The egg of the Phasmid has not only a general resemblance in 

 size, shape, colour, and external texture to a seed, but the ana- 

 tomical characters of certain seeds are reproduced on the external 

 surface, there being a hilar area, a hilar scar, and a capitulum 

 corresponding to the micropylar caruncle of such seeds as those 

 (>i the Castor-oil plant (Rieinus communis). The hilar area on 

 the inner surface of the capsule is, in shape, like the embryo of 

 a plant. Moreover, naturalists who have examined these eggs 



