POLYOMMATUS (LYCLENA) iEGON. 113 



ment that the larvse were alive and stirring within 

 the shells, and that he expected them shortly to 

 hatch. 



I immediately removed all I had to a cooler place 

 than they had. previously been in, so as to retard their 

 progress until something could be learned about their 

 proper food. 



Considering the small size of the butterfly the egg 

 is rather large in proportion. It is white in colour, 

 of a circular form, flattened and depressed in the 

 centre both above and below, covered with raised 

 white reticulation, all except the top. 



The egg does not change colour, but retains its 

 pure dead-white appearance even after the exit of the 

 larva; a small hole showing like a black spot on the 

 side of the shell alone betraying the escape of the 

 little creature. 



Mr. Hudson informed me of one of his larvce being 

 hatched on the 29th February, which was followed by 

 others on the 3rd of March. All were placed on 

 various little plants from the locality where the parent 

 butterfly had been taken, but from want of the right 

 food and partly by accidents they were starved or 

 lost. 



On the 28th February Mr. Hellins reported that 

 one larva had hatched, and that it soon after died; 

 and another on the 6th March, which was placed on 

 heather, Lotus corniculatus , and one or two other 

 vetches, but with no success. 



On the 18th of March two of my eggs hatched, and 

 the larvge were placed with a variety of food, but they 

 died without eating, and others soon followed in the 

 same way, with Mr. Hellins arid myself. Shortly 

 afterwards, however, Mr. Hellins acquainted me with 

 the fact of his having distinctly seen one eat a tiny 

 hole in the leaflet of a small vetch, Evvum tetra- 

 spermum, growing in his garden, and he sent me one 

 of the plants, and upon this for some days the larvse 

 as they were hatched were placed; but instead of 



vol. i. 8 



