176 Mr. P. H. Gosse on the Insects of Jamaica. 



of colourless silica. The yellow solution afforded distinct evi- 

 dence of the presence of manganese and iron. 



The deeply-seated black and brown spots of the pale variety 

 of the guillemot's egg were found to contain manganese, iron, 

 and silica. 



When muriatic acid is employed to remove the epithelium and 

 dissolve the calcareous part of the egg of the lapwing, the natural 

 colour is changed to green. If the shell, not deprived of epi- 

 thelium nor the membrane of the albumen, be boiled two or three 

 hours in concentrated solution of potass, it yields a dark yellow 

 solution ; the deeply-seated dark spots are now changed to red- 

 brown. The yellow solution supersaturated by acetic acid yielded 

 a. brown flocculent precipitate ; the supernatant fluid, still yellow, 

 afforded traces of the presence of copper. If the shell, after being 

 treated with potass, be now dissolved in very dilute muriatic 

 acid, there only remain a few cobweb-like flocks. The solution 

 contains lime, phosphate of magnesia, and phosphate of lime. 



The pale variety of the guillemot's egg affords no trace of mag- 

 nesia, but contains carbonate and phosphate of lime. 



EXPLANATION OF PLATE VII. 



Fig. 1. Epithelium and basement membrane of ostrich's egg. 



— 2. The same from the egg of the emeu. 



— 3. Superficial layer of the egg of the foolish guillemot ; it may be most 



properly described as a cellulo-granular membrane having a ten- 

 dency to become cracked into polygonal pieces. A few pigment- 

 cells ? are seen at one corner. 



— 4. Epithelium from the egg of the missel thrush. 



— 5. Epithelium and basement membrane of an imperfectly calcified egg 



from the dilated oviduct of a land rail. 



— 6. Epithelium from the egg of Carbo Floridanus, Audub. 



— 7. Epithelium from the egg of Ardea Herodias, Linn. 



— 8. Epithelium from the egg of the redstart. 



— 9. Deep-seated pigment-cells from the egg of Sterna Hirundo, Linn. 



— 10. Epithelium from the egg of the greenfinch. 



— 11. A layer subjacent to the true epithelium; it is the seat of the co- 



lour. From the egg of Turdns mustelinus, Gmelin. 



XIX. — On the Insects of Jamaica. By Philip Henry Gosse. 

 [Continued from p. 114.] 



21. Heliconia Charitonia. Of the extensive family Helico- 

 niada, almost peculiar to tropical America, this is the only spe- 

 cies that I ever met with in Jamaica ; a circumstance which is 

 the more remarkable, as several others have long been known as 

 common to that island and the other Antilles. This however is 

 perhaps the most abundant Lepidopterous insect we have ; I do 



