256 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



H. linea, which he describes *' of a long oval figure half as long 

 again as wide," which is correct for the egg of action, that so 

 greatly differs in this respect from the egg of H. linea, which is 

 so very much rounder in form, being only one-fifth longer than 

 broad, whereas that of H. cectceon is, as Hellins states, half as 

 long again as wide. For the purpose of comparison I have 

 given figures of the eggs of both species. As will be seen, the 

 difference in shape between the two is so vastly different that it 

 affords a ready means for immediate identification. 

 (To be continued.) 



Explanation of Plate VIII. 



Fig. 1. — Hespcria linea depoeiting; flower-stem of Phleum pratense 

 sketched from life, 3.45 p.m., July 17th, 1912. 



Fig. 2. — Flower-stem sheath of Holcus mollis ; arrow-head denoting 

 eggs in situ within sheath. 



Fig, 3. — Larval cocoons (natural size) ; sheath opened to show cocoons. 



Fig. 4. — Larval cocoons, enlarged 4 x . 



Fig. 5. — Egg of H. linea, enlarged 29 x . 



Fig. 6. — Egg of H. act(eo7i, enlarged 24 x . 



OVIPOSITION OF TAPINOSTOLA CONCOLOR. 

 By G. B. Kershaw, F.E.S. 



Whilst working for this insect this year, about 8.45 p.m. I 

 came across a female, evidently freshly emerged, clinging to a 

 sedge-leaf. At 9.30 p.m. a male of the same species came up 

 and paired with the female. After an interval of ten minutes 

 the pair were very carefully secured in a three-inch glass- 

 bottomed pill-box, together with the sedge-leaf on which they 

 were resting; they were then left on the ground, still paired, 

 until 1.30 a.m. the next morning, when they were found 

 separated. 



Both the insects were transferred to a large glass jar covered 

 with muslin and containing a good supply of food-plant, the 

 cut stalks being wrapped in wet cotton wool to avoid shrivelling. 

 On examining the sedge-leaf cut off by the pill-box lid (referred 

 to hereafter as "A"), it was seen to be dried up, and the edges 

 were curled over towards the middle of the leaf on each side ; 

 on gently opening the curled-up portions, thirteen ova were 

 found concealed on one side of the leaf, all neatly deposited in a 

 row, touching each other, and cemented to the leaf. 



The ova were globular, glistening, and of a yellowish white 

 colour, and measured about one thirty-second of an inch in 

 diameter. The insects in the glass jar were placed amongst 

 herbage during the day, and hid up amongst the sedge close to 

 the bottom of the jar. They were visited several times during 

 the day, but did not move until about 9 p.m. on the evening 



