THE EGG 19 



of the year. In some cases they are deposited eariy in the spring, 

 even before the buds of the food plants have burst ; and the young 

 larvae, hatched a few weeks later, commence to feed on the young 

 and tender leaves. Then, throughout the late spring, the whole of 

 the summer and autumn, and even till the winter frosts set in, the 

 eggs of various species are being laid. 



Those deposited during the warm weather are often hatched in 

 a few days, but those laid toward the autumn remain unchanged 

 until the following spring. 



In this latter case the frosts of the most severe winter are not 

 capable of destroying the vitality of the eggs. In many instances 

 the perfect insect or the larva would be killed by the temperature 

 of an average winter day, but the vitality of the eggs is such that 

 they have been subjected to a temperature, artificially produced, of 

 fifty degrees below the freezing point, and even after this the young 

 larvae walked out of their cradles at their appointed time just as if 

 nothing unusual had occurred. 



Experiments have also been performed on the eggs with a view 

 of determining how far their vitality is influenced by high tempera- 

 tures. We know that the scorching midsummer sun has no 

 destructive influence on them, but these experiments prove that 

 they are not influenced by a temperature only twenty degrees below 

 the boiling point actually a considerably higher temperature than 

 is necessary to properly cook a hen's egg. 



Let us now examine a number of eggs of different species, that 

 we may note some of the many variations in form and colour. 



With regard to colour, we have already observed that the"~eggs 

 of a few species are black ; but more commonly they are much 

 lighter pearly white, green, yellow, and grey being of frequent 

 occurrence. 



The great variety of form, however, will provide a \ast amount 

 of enjoyment to anyone who possesses a good magnifying lens or 

 a small compound microscope. Some are globular, others oval ; 

 while many others represent cups, basins, and doires. Then we 

 have miniature vases, flasks, bottles with short necks, and nume- 

 rous figures that must remind a juvenile admirer of the sweet 

 cakes and ornamental jellies that have so often gladdened his 

 longing eyes. 



Again, the beautifully sculptured surfaces of a large number are 

 even more striking than their general shapes. Some are regularly 

 ribbed from top to bottom with parallel or radiating ridges, and at 



c2 



