42 PHYSIOLOGY OF THE EGGS 
in groups, the cement is generally spread over the 
whole, as in the instance of the White Satin Moth, 
(Leucoma Salicis of Stephens.) This glutinous 
substance is evidently intended by nature to prevent 
the eggs from being carried from the place selected 
by the mother insect for their depository. The 
Hipparchia Hyperanthus, another butterfly, deposits 
her eggs at random, on different plants. The cater- 
pillar of this insect is polyphagous. It has been 
observed that all larvee which live in solitude, pro- 
ceed from eggs laid singly by the female butterfly, 
which is provided with an instrument for the pur- 
pose. De Geer mentions, that these eggs are in some 
instances deposited with great rapidity ; especially 
by the Common Moth, called in many places of 
England the Ghost, (Hepialus Humuli.) This 
insect lays a large number of minute black eggs, 
resembling the grains of fine gunpowder. She ejects 
them so fast, and with such force, that their extru- 
sion resembles the shot from a pop-gun. 
It is a curious fact that the female insects of those 
whose larvee spend a solitary life, or those which live 
in societies, take the utmost care to deposit their 
eggs in a manner corresponding to the state in 
which the future caterpillars are destined to exist. 
Several species of Moths cover their eggs with a 
thick coating of the hair stripped from their own 
hodies. This is particularly the case with the Aretia 
chrysorhea, and Hypogymna dispar. They pluck 
