ACCOUNT OF THE PHASMIDAE, WITH NOTES ON THE EGGS. 



85 



(8) Eurycantha horrida. PI. VIII, Fig. 9. 



Eurycantha horrida. Boisd., Voy. de l'Astrolabe, Zool. pi. 10, f. 2. Westwood, Cat. 

 Phasm. p. 63. 



A fine series of this insect was procured by Dr Willey in New Britain. In the adult 

 state it varies but little ; the antennae are usually more or less deficient as to their 

 terminal joints ; the proper contingent appears to be about 48. 



Several specimens that I believe to be young of this species were procured (Figs. 

 7, 8) ; if so, it appears to be variable in colour in early life ; most of these young are 

 similar in colour to the adults except that they are not quite so dark ; two specimens 

 are of a pallid stone-grey colour, maculated with darker fuscous marks. It is possible, 

 however, that one or both of these specimens may be of another species; Kaup has 

 described a second Eurycantha as occurring in New Guinea. The young specimens 

 are in various stages of development, and they at any rate show that the armature 

 of spines on the body and legs is developed gradually during the process of growth. 

 The number of joints of the antennae is apparently the same throughout the later 

 period of development, though the distinctness of their segmentation is less marked in 

 the young, and in the very young there is a major segmentation into 7 or 8 joints, 

 without any distinct segmentation of either of these into a larger number of joints 

 (Fig. 7 a). The genital appendages of the female are also developed gradually, so that 

 it is very difficult to distinguish the two sexes in the young. 



Eyg (PI. IX, Fig. 41). Dr Willey kept specimens of this species alive and was 

 able to observe that the eggs are dropped one at a time. On August 11th he noticed 

 an egg in the ovipositor which was still in that position next day ; on the 13th he 

 found one egg was deposited : on Aug. 14th the same female had another egg ready for 

 deposition, and this was still in situ the following day but was deposited on the 16th, 

 and on the same day another egg was in the ovipositor and was deposited on the 17th: 

 on the 18th the same specimen laid three eggs, and another on the 19th. The egg 

 is large, 8 mm. long. It is of a grey colour, irregularly mottled with black and the 

 whole surface of the capsule is covered with fine raised lines. The hilar area is 

 broad and short, oval, the scar is broad and widely open in front. There is no trace 

 of any capitulum on the operculum but the central area is slightly pinched together, 

 and has a slightly different texture when highly magnified (Figs. 41 a, 41 b). 



Tribe. Acrophyllides. 

 Genus. Acanthodyta, n. g. 



Antennae breves, circiter 20-articulatae ; thorax et abdomen spinosa ; pedes mediocriter 

 elongati, femoribus omnibus fere inermibus, marginibus superioribus et inferioribus 

 omnium tantum minutissime spinulosis; tegmina nulla; alae utriusque sexus brevissimae. 

 Segmentum medianum elongatum, metathorace longius. Maris cerci robusti. Feminae 

 cerci minuti haud exserti, lamina supra-analis valde prolongata ; segmentum dorsale 

 ultimuin sub-prolongatum. 



This genus, tested by Brunner's Tables', runs down to Acrophyllidae, Platycraniae, 

 and may be placed next Arrhidaeus. 



1 "Revision du systcme des Orthoptf'res," op. tit. 



