eggs of Ilemiptera. 197 



closely-packed tubes, some of which extend from the 

 sides of the spike at the summit to the base of the cone, 

 while others open at the sides of tbe cone, but appa- 

 rently also communicate with the shallow chamber at 

 the base of the cone ; this chamber, c of fig. 5, is closed 

 in below by a peculiar transparent plate, having the 

 appearance of a piece of mica ; this plate, though itself 

 quite impervious, is so transparent that it allows the 

 meshwork of the surface above it to be seen, as shown 

 in fig. 7. From the point at which the cone is narrowed 

 or truncated there extends outwards a beautiful trans- 

 parent lace- work of rather larger meshes ; this lace-work 

 becomes more delicate as it diverges, and is perhaps, at 

 its termination, actually continuous with the mesh-work 

 of the inner wall of the capsule. The whole of the 

 system of canals in the cone apparently converges to the 

 chamber c, fig. 5 ; in the figure in question the section 

 of this chamber is shown to be limited by a wall on each 

 side, but I am very doubtful whether that wall (d) really 

 exists ; I think it will ultimately prove that the trans- 

 parent plate (m), forming the floor of the cone, is not 

 really part of the cone, but is a peculiarly developed 

 part of the inner membrane of the egg, and that the 

 cone is merely loosely set on this, and that the two, 

 though lifted up together by the emerging insect, have 

 no actual continuity. 



Supposing the cone to be a system of tubes giving 

 entrance to air or other matter, then this substance will 

 have to find its way into the interior of the egg proper 

 by a gap or system of canals extending round the egg on 

 the inside of the capsule at the spot marked/ in fig. 4. 

 Now it is at this spot, judging from what I have observed 

 in the egg of another bug, Piezostcrimm suhulatum, and 

 from the figures of Leuckart, t. c, pi. viii., ff. 6, 14, &c., 

 that I should expect the true micropyle canals to exist ; 

 it seems, therefore, quite possible that, though distinct 

 from the true micropyles, the cone may be a means of 

 communicating with them. 



In the absence of any direct observation, it is useless 

 to indulge in further speculation on what the function of 

 these wonderful cones may be ; it seems in the highest 

 degree improbable that they can be simple in their 

 function, possessing as they do so great a development, 

 and it is more probable that they serve two or even three 



