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LIFE -HISTORY OF LYCJENA 2EG0N. 

 By F. W. Fkohawk, F.E.S. 



On the I8th of last March, my friend Mr. G. Bryant very 

 kindly sent me some ova of L. cegon, which he had succeeded in 

 obtaining from females captured the previous summer. I am 

 also indebted to Mr. F. W. Hawes for information relating to his 

 success in rearing this species last year, attained by feeding the 

 larvse upon gorse {JJlex europeus). 



The ovum is of a very compressed spherical form, its greatest 

 diameter measuring one-fortieth of an inch, and only one-eightieth 

 of an inch in height ; the base is slightly concave, the crown being 

 more so, and the operculum is deeply sunken and very finely punc- 

 tured ; the punctures are smallest in the centre, increasing in 

 size on nearing the side, where they develop into a very beautifully 

 formed pattern resembling fine lace-work, composed of a number 

 of prominences placed at somewhat regular intervals and con- 

 nected one to another by six keels or spokes, the interstices 

 between each being very deep ; the reticulations again lessening 

 in size on nearing the under surface, which is likewise deeply 

 punctured of a spongy character. Both the colour and texture 

 greatly resemble white porcelain ; all tlie depths produce a deep 

 purplish grey shade. The ova are deposited singly, and adhere 

 firmly to the receptacle. 



The first eggs hatched on April 1st, the remainder hatching 

 the two following days. The larva makes its exit by eating away 

 a small round hole in the crown of the egg, which has the appear- 

 ance of a small black dot, otherwise the ova remains unchanged 

 in colour. 



Directl}^ after emergence the larva measures one-twenty-fourth 

 of an inch long, and is rather stout in proportion ; the colour is 

 pale ochreous green, darkest on the dorsal surface, becoming 

 paler laterally and palest on the ventral surface. The body is 

 sprinkled with dark brown warts, some extremely small; the 

 largest are those on the dorsal area, and these emit long greyish 

 hairs curving backwards, excepting those on the first segment, 

 which curve forwards ; the other warts principally run in longi- 

 tudinal rows, forming superspiracular and subspiracular series, 

 each wart emitting a fine greyish hair. The head is black, the 

 legs brown, and the claspers of the same colour as the ventral 

 surface. Upon emergence I placed the larvee inside the expand- 

 ing gorse blossoms, and shortly after noticed them feeding on the 

 tender portions of the stamens and petals. 



The first moult took place at the end of April, remaining 

 nearly a month in the first skin. After the first moult, when 

 thirty days old, it measures one-twelfth of an inch in length ; the 

 back is arched, the sides very sloping, and the ventral surface 



