220 BRITISH LEPIDOPTERA. 



portion at end, occupied by the larval skin and a little debris ; alto- 

 gether, a length of T V n -» measuring from the slit of the case (in which 

 she inserts the ovipositor) to the base, is so occupied. The eggs are 

 quite separate and each lies loosely in a mass of entangled hairs, the 

 eggs and hairs being very uniformly distributed throughout the whole 

 length of the case. The hairs are individualised, that is teased 

 asunder most absolutely and completely, and form a mesh of elastic 

 springs amongst which the eggs are distributed. Considering that the 

 ovipositor of T. tubulosa is barely yV n - l° n g and that the eggs are 

 placed T 7 ein. from the opening, it is clear that the hairs also act in 

 carrying the eggs upwards to the base of the case, as more eggs and 

 hairs are added below ; they are in fact distributed in the case as an 

 elastic mass forced into a hollow, the ovipositor being hardly longer 

 than enough to convey them past the pupa-skin into the case. 



Ovum. — The eggs are oval (egg-shaped), the narrow end being 

 fuller and rounder than in a hen's egg, but still a distinct narrow end ; 

 the long diameter is - 63mm., the transverse 042mm. They are very 

 white and (under a Jin.) no structure, surface-network, &c, can be 

 detected. They number about (or over) 200 (Chapman). Irregularly 

 oval, differing much in shape individually and in the relative length 

 to width, white, smooth and glossy, apparently soft and delicate, but 

 not mere bags of fluid as in the Macro-Psychids, Whitileia reticella, &c. 

 (Bacot). 



Case. — The newly-formed case of the larva on the day the latter is 

 hatched is naturally in an unfinished state. It appears to be formed 

 entirely of fine silk, or silk hairs, probably from those used by the ? 

 to cover the eggs. It is loose and fluffy at the ends, cylindrical, and 

 not even tapering to any noticeable extent, carried erect when the larva 

 is crawling (as in other small Psychids), although the young larvte 

 without cases were not observed to erect their abdominal segments as 

 in the higher Psychids, e.g., A. opacella (Bacot). Some fifty full-groivn 

 cases examined averaged 17mm. -19mm. in length, and 2mm. wide. 

 Each case is perfectly straight, has two open ends, one composed of 

 three flaps, fitting somewhat closely against each other, the other 

 rounded, with a somewhat long loose extension of silk, of a greyish- 

 white colour. The three flaps at the one end are the terminations of 

 the three sides of the case, which appears to be always more or 

 less triangular in section, but centrally, and at the terminal end, 

 more rounded and cylindrical in outline. The case itself is spun of 

 extremely tough silk, difficult to tear and cut, covered externally with 

 minute particles of disintegrated rock-dust and grey-green with lichen 

 dust. The inside is apparently smooth to the naked eye (somewhat 

 coarse under a lens) but very thickly lined with greyish-white or pale 

 brownish silk of exactly the same character as the continued silk tube 

 that extends beyond the end by which it is fixed at pupation. The three 

 flaps of the end by which the imago emerges are so arranged as to 

 have smaller flaps inside, at their bases, whose three apices meet 

 centrally, and close the opening effectually from the outside, although 

 readily pushed apart from the inside, when the imago is ready to 

 emerge. These flaps are somewhat papery in texture and readily torn, 

 differing much in these respects from the body of the case. So hard 

 is the case when fresh that it is very difficult to press it with 

 the fingers so as to injure the larva, without using considerable force. 



