174 BRITISH LEPIDOPTERA. 



pale green * in colour ; surface somewhat shiny ; apparently 

 roughened ; reticulation clearly distinguishable, and around the 

 micropyle very distinct, the cells rather large where they surround 

 the small micropylar depression and gradually decreasing in size 

 outwards, the edges of the cells finely raised, somewhat whitish in 

 tint ; the shell transparent, the embryo clearly visible through the 

 cell, as also are the bifid setae arising from the tubercles. After 

 hatching the shell is quite glassy and transparent. [Described July 

 25th, 1901, from eggs received from Mr. Head.] A rounded oval, 

 depressed on one side ; colour green, changing to transparent grey 

 before larva hatches, length imm., width -9mm., height -8mm. ; 

 surface with a clearly-marked cell-sculpture, strongly so compared 

 with the eggs of Amorphids and Eumorphids (sens, strict.), the cells 

 rather large, irregular, with slightly raised but broad edges, giving 

 the egg a tessellated appearance (Bacot, July 17th, 1901). May 

 notes eggs laid in August, 1870, as grass-green in colour, and rather 

 small (Ent., v., p. 201). Head sent us eggs, laid in confinement, 

 and from foreign parentage, on July 13th and 19th, 1901. 



Habits of larva. — In the first instar the larvae are most difficult 

 to locate with the naked eye, even when on only a very small fragment 

 of a spike of flowers of Galium verum (Bacot). As they get older, 

 they are not so difficult to find, but even then want closely searching 

 for, and one sometimes, when turning over a plant, puts one's 

 hand on an individual that had not been previously noticed, and 

 they keep close to the foodplant until they are nearly fullfed. Syme 

 notes (E.M. M., ii„ p. 6) that the larger larvae generally are to be found 

 in pairs, and that one being discovered a second is generally within 

 a few yards, and he remarks that it appears strange that a larva, 

 so large and so brightly coloured when fullted, should be difficult 

 to see, especially as it feeds quite exposed, yet it is so, more especially 

 on the sandhills than on the shingle at Deal, and they are more easily 

 traced by the frass which catches the eye more readily than the larva 

 itself; the frass should be followed in the direction of its freshness, 

 as the larva rarely moves more than a yard or two until it wanders 

 for pupation. At Deal, on the sandhills, Syme observes that, in 

 1857, the larvae were mostly found only on plants growing on loose 

 sand without any covering of moss or herbage. In 1888, Tugwell 

 notes ( Young Nat., ix., p. 237) that the larvae were found at Deal, 

 not only close to the sea, but also miles inland, by roadsides, as 

 well as upon open ground, even basking on the footways ; he states 

 that the young larvae were generally to be obtained on luxurious 

 patches of the plant, but when nearly fullgrown they seemed to 

 prefer more open places, where, by exposure, the plants get dwarfed 

 and they can enjoy fully the direct rays of the sun ; when quite full- 

 grown they are very fond of extending themselves on the bare and 

 warm sand, in fact, their polished backs get quite hot, a condition 

 which they evidently enjoy. The larvae, when not feeding or basking, 

 hide away most effectually, sometimes partly burying themselves, 



* Sonic years ago a ? caught at sugar at Leipzig deposited 5 black eggs 

 as it was being taken out of the net, the eg<is producing pitch-black larvae, which 

 remained very dark all their lives (Bart el teste Heyne). This record wants con- 

 firmation ; it is most remarkable if a ? did lay black eggs ; those that we have 

 described were very typical green fSphingid eggs. 



