122 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



Nomia halictella, Ckll. 



The male, hitherto undescribed, was taken at Mackay, 

 January and March, 1900 (Turner, 314). It has a subclavate 

 abdomen, and resembles N. yseudoceratma, Ckll., but is smaller 

 (length about or hardly 8 mm.), with the first abdominal seg- 

 ment only about as long as broad ; hind knees and base of 

 their tibiae ferruginous ; hind femora and tibiae quite simple. 



University of Colorado, Boulder : 

 January 18th, 1912. 



NOTES ON THE LIFE-HISTORY OF COLIAS NASTES 

 VAR. WEKDANDI, WITH DESCEIPTION OF OVA 

 AND LARVA. 



By W. G. Sheldon, F.E.S. 



Whilst staying in Swedish Lapland last summer I searched 

 for and succeeded in finding ova of this species. The first ova, 

 ten in number, were found on June 23rd in a sheltered spot on 

 the shores of the Torne Triiske, where its food-plant, the handsome 

 Astragalus alpimis, grew abundantly. Most of the ova were 

 found on the leaflets of the Astragalus, some on the upper and 

 some on the lower surfaces, but in two cases they were attached 

 to a leaf of Vaccinium myrtillus, which was an inch or two away 

 from the food-plant. I did not search further for ova for some 

 days, the supply obtained appearing sufficient for the time being, 

 but in early July I sleeved several females, which deposited 

 sparingly on the food-plant. I commenced to search again on 

 July 10th, but by this date the bulk of the larvae had apparently 

 emerged, for several hours' search only revealed five ova, all of 

 which hatched during the next day or two. 



The ova is of a pale straw-colour when deposited, gradu- 

 ally changing to deep orange in a few days, and shortly 

 prior to emergence to dark leaden tint. It is upright, and of the 

 usual Colias shape and character. The vertical and horizontal 

 diameters are 1*25 millim. and '65 millim. respectively; it has 

 a number of vertical ribs, the distance these are apart is about 

 •05 millim. ; numerous transverse ribs connect the vertical ones. 

 The diameter of the apex of the ova is '15 millim. The micro- 

 pylar area consists of a number of very shallow cells ; it is 

 not perceptibly depressed. The surface of the ova is highly 

 glazed ; that portion which from the position in which it is held 

 reflects the light is tinged with mother-of-pearl. 



This stage appears to last about twelve days, for one ova 

 I had continuously under observation was, when found on June 



