318 THE entomologist's record. 



were obtained from a female found at Tilbury Dock [antea, p. 393). 

 These eggs are of large size and very similar in general appearance and 

 texture to those of Cossus ligniperda. They are especially alike in 

 having their sculpture marked out by the addition of a dark material, 

 probably a cement to retain the eggs in the crevices in which they are 

 naturally laid. In these eggs the sculpturing is so bold that the pig- 

 ment filling the hollows marks out the pattern more conspicuously. 

 In those of C. ligniperda the sculpture is less bold, and is apt to be 

 obscured by the pigment, yet the general effect is much the same. 

 The difference between the two eggs is also great ; that of C. ligniperda 

 has all the appearance of an upright egg, with a somewhat flattened 

 base, and its sculpture is ribbing of a character not absolutely different 

 from that of a Noctuid. The Qs,g before us has only one character of 

 an upright egg, viz., its tranverse section, i.e., the section at right 

 angles to the micropylar axis is everywhere circular. It has no 

 flattened base, but in form both ends are tolerably alike. The longi- 

 tudinal section through the micropyle would be an ellipse were it not 

 slightly sharpened towards the ends, and perhaps rather fuller towards 

 the micropylar side of the equator. 



The egg is no less than from 2-3mm. to 2-5mm. in length, and 

 from I'Tmm. to l-8mm. in diameter, varying a little in size in 

 different specimens. The sculpturing is a network of very bold, broad 

 raised lines or ridges, which are fully a fourth in width of the spaces 

 between, and apparently equally high. The pattern is very irregular, 

 and is as often of squares as of good hexagons, but the line of ridge 

 often goes straight past six or eight cells, and in so far presents a step 

 towards the passage from network to ribbing. The cells of the net- 

 work are much larger towards the micropylar end, and the change takes 

 place rather rapidly a little above the equator. They are even smaller 

 towards the nadir, over which they are continuous. The diameter 

 of a cell some way above the equator is about •12mm., and at an equal 

 distance below -OTmm. The micropylar rosette is a circle of narrow 

 radiating small cells •2mm. in diameter, and followed immediately by 

 the general coarse netting. 



The question as to whether the great differences between this egg 

 and that of C. ligniperda imply want of near relationship is interesting 

 and difficult. No doubt it does imply want of near relationship, but 

 probably less than the same difference would in more evolved families. 

 We do not refuse to the Acidalias a position with the Geometrids, 

 because they have eggs that in some cases are really upright, recognis- 

 ing that there is a constant tendency for flat eggs to specialise into 

 upright ones. Such a tendency would act more readily no doubt lower 

 in the series, so that we must probably conclude that the Cossids have 

 flat eggs, tending to develop into upright ones, which is largely 

 expressed in C. ligniperda and possibly leads on to the egg of Castnia, 

 which is upright in form. 



Lepidoptera in the Hautes=Alpes : Abries. 



By J. H. and J. W. TUTT, F.E.S. 

 [Concluded from p). 262.) 



Another delightful trip, and probably the most successful entomo- 

 logically , was that to the Crete de Reychasse. For this one starts by going 



