54, IODIS VERNARIA. 
fourth, and so on, until a little pile of twelve or 
fourteen stands out at right angles with the twig like 
a lateral twig or thorn. Under a lens of moderate 
power this pile of eggs exactly resembles a stack of 
oblong cheeses, symmetrically arranged one on the 
other. In some instances, when the parent has been 
restless, or disturbed in mind, or dissatisfied with the 
spot she had first selected, she has abandoned her 
ego-tower when only three storeys high. But this is 
not usual; she generally continues her labours until 
a dozen ego's are thus carefully adjusted in a pile: the 
lowest number yet observed in this columnal structure 
is three, and the highest fourteen. The eges are not 
angular as in a column of basalt, but the arrangement 
is precisely similar. In one instance that came under 
the notice of Mr. Jennings the pile of eggs was 
branched, thus assuming the form of the letter V. 
The eggs usually hatch during the first week in 
July, and the young larvee disappear, after feeding a 
little, with the leaves of the food-plant, and reappear 
after hybernation, as soon as the leaves of another 
season are ready for them in the spring. The most 
likely spots for finding these larve are on the shoots 
trailing on the ground, or at a very slight elevation. 
When the larvee leave the egg they are very interest- 
ing little objects; they stand on the general or partial 
leaf-stalks, or sometimes on the edge of the leaf, in a 
variety of attitudes; some parallel with the object on 
which they are resting; others forming an obtuse 
angle with it; others erect; and others looped, after 
the ordinary manner of geometers when travelling. 
The second segment has two pointed horn-hke pro- 
jections directed forwards, and concealing the head if 
viewed from above; they are of a pale green colour, 
the surface of the skin frosted with white, the tips 
of the horn-like projections tinged with red, brown, or 
purple, and the head deep purpie, contrasting strongly 
with the almost colourless body. 
About the middle of last June the Rey. P. H. Jen- 
