654 BlUTISH OIUBATID^. 



the first sign of legs (see fig. 2 d, where, however, in 

 consequence of the position the curved pieces do not 

 show). The wrinkUng of the outer membrane grad- 

 ually extends over nearly the whole Qg^, the forma- 

 tions mentioned above become larger, darker, and 

 more chitinous, and numerous others make their 

 appearance (fig. 2 e) ; until, in the most mature eggs 

 of the series, there are, in addition to those above 

 named, a strong crescent-shaped piece between the 

 two sloping pieces, four pairs of smaller crescent- 

 shaped pieces, each apparently bordering the outside 

 of a small papilla, presumably along the ventral sur- 

 face ; a broken series of short straight pieces between 

 them; and some other less important pieces (fig. 2f,g). 

 The egg now has the appearance of containing a 

 formed embryo, which almost fills it ; and of which 

 the mandibles, four pairs of legs, the sternum and 

 other organs, are chitinized and brown, and can be 

 distinctly seen. Nicolet seems to treat this as being 

 the case, and it is difficult to persuade oneself that it is 

 not so ; the whole of the formations are quite constant, 

 found practically alike in all eggs which have attained 

 a sufficient degree of maturity, and I cannot help 

 thinking that they must be in some way connected 

 with the development of the larva, but how I cannot 

 explain ; for it is absolutely certain that when the 

 larva emerges the whole of these formations are left 

 behind on the eggshell, to the inner surface of which 

 they are attached ; and the larva is a clear, white, 

 translucent creature, without a sign of chitinization or 

 brown colour about it ; and if an egg in the state 

 figured (/, g) be dissected no formed embryo is de- 

 tected, but the whole ovum appears to be in an im- 

 mature condition. 



The egg is not ever found in the oviduct in a more 

 advanced stage than that last described ; it is now laid 

 in a small hole or pit in the wood. After a time — as 

 to the duration of which I am uncertain, and which 

 probably varies — the egg begins to swell ; it does not 



