75 



pale brownish in colour, with a large dark patch on the side and a 

 smooth shell. It is 1mm. long, -Smm. wide, and -Gmm. thick. 



MacrotJnjIacia ruhi : the ova are to be found in May and June in 

 batches of a dozen or two, near the top of tall grass stems. They 

 are large oval bodies with a nearly smooth shell, pale stone in 

 colour, and having a d^rk brown spot at the end and a larger blotch 

 on each side. This blotch is surrounded by a band of the same 

 colour, and the two bands sometimes unite at the ends, forming a 

 ring around the spot. Length 2'2mm., width l-7mm., thickness 

 ] -5 mm. 



Cosiiiutrichc potatoria. — I have most frequently found these eggs 

 in July and August in a straggling, untidy row of three to six, 

 along the stem of an upstanding rush, and more than half-way up. 

 In shape and arrangement of markings they are precisely similar to 

 those of M. nihi just described ; but the colour is whiter, the shell 

 smoother, and the darker markings are of a sea-green colour instead 

 of brown. Length 2mm., width l-8mm., thickness l-5mm. 



Satnrnia pavonia lays in a very similar manner to M. ruhi, but I 

 think the e.gg batches are usually larger and more neatly arranged, 

 and the ova are distinctly smaller. When laid in a long cluster 

 near the tip of a shoot of heather, they may easily be mistaken for 

 the dead flowers of last season, with which they will probably be 

 surrounded. I have found them in such situations during the 

 month of May. They are oval with a nearly smooth shell, and 

 pale brown in colour, with a small dark spot in the centre of the 

 micropylar area, and a dark cloud surrounded by a broad band on 

 each side; but these markings are much less constant and sharply 

 defined than in the case of M. ruhi. Length l-8mm., width l-lmm., 

 thickness l-2mm. 



Spilosoma nienthantri deposits her ova in neatly arranged batches 

 of 50 or thereabouts, on the underside of a convenient leaf. They 

 lie in regular rows, side by side, and are not usually superimposed. 

 One batch found under a willow leaf at the end of June contained 

 45 ova. In colour they are greenish-white, nearly smooth, and 

 with a rather shiny surface. Before they hatch they turn a dark 

 slate colour. Shape spherical, with flat base and upright. The 

 shell is thin and semi-transparent. Diameter -Smm., height -Gmm. 



Spilosoma Inhricipeda. — I am unable to find any definite means 

 of separating these from the ova of the preceding species, except 

 that they seem to be a shade larger. They are deposited in similar 

 fashion. A batch, found under a leaf of elder on July 24th, con- 

 tained 60 ova. When about to hatch the head of the larva is 



