72 



[August, 



was read ; among other interesting matter, the author's experience as to the 

 fecundity of the queen, during life, was given as 108,000 eggs. This, to any one 

 uninitiated in the wonders of the hive, would appear to be a very large number. 

 Mr. Desborough in his prize essay, I believe, calculated the duration of the life of 

 a queen as averaging about five years, giving an annual deposition of eggs at about 

 21,600. Since this estimate was published, in the report of the Proceedings of the 

 Society, the Devonshire Bee-Keeper has published his experience, and it is truly 

 marvellous to contemplate the two results. We are not told by Mr, Desborough 

 what was the pai'ticular description of time thai furnished these results. "We may 

 confidently rely upon the information of both parties ; bat we cannot but feel 

 certain that either the calculations were made under very difierent circumstances, 

 or that the fecundity of queens varies immensely. 



According to the experience of the learned German Apiarian, Dzierzon, the 

 average duration of life in the queen is four years, and that a prolific queen lays 

 not less than 1,000,000 eggs; and this opinion is endorsed by the Devonshire Bee- 

 Keeper. He further informs us that it is nothing unusual to see from 15,000 to 

 20,000 cells occupied by brood during three months of the year. Then we are to 

 add to this period the spring and autumn months, when breeding takes place ; 

 during the first in an increasing ratio, and during the latter in a decreasing ratio ; 

 until, in October or November, it entirely ceases. Then we are to consider that, 

 during this period, the tenants of the brood-cells are removed every three weeks. 

 From this calculation we are enabled to form some idea of the fecundity of a 

 prolific queen. — Fredk. Smith, British Museum, June, 1868. 



Description of the larva of Eupithecia consignata, Boric. — Towards the end of 

 May, Mrs. Hutchinson, of Grantsfield, kindly sent me seven eggs of Eup. consignata, 

 laid by a ? taken in Herefordshire by her daughter. They all hatched in the 

 course of a few days ; and I have reared six larvae, all of which have now spun up. 



I have much pleasure in sending you a description of this hitherto almost 

 unknown larva. 



" Long, slender, tapenng slightly towards the head. Ground colour grass- 

 green, slightly tinged with yellow. Segmental divisions yellowish. Central dorsal 

 line very slender, dark purplish-red, enlarged at the base of each segment into a 

 spear-head shaped blotch. Dorsal blotches bordered with yellow, and becoming 

 confluent on the capital and caudal segments. Head somewhat broad, green, very 

 slightly marked with purplish-red. 



Spiracular line puffed, rather paler green than the rest of the body ; blotched 

 into purplish-red on a few of the central segments, and more or less bordered with 

 straw colour. Central ventral line whitish. Body somewhat wrinkled, studded with 

 a very few short, slender whitish hairs. Fed on apple. Full-fed June 14th — 19th." 



Some few years since I beat two of these larva? from oak in Suffolk, and another 

 from hazel in Hampshire. I suspected at the time that they were the larvae of 

 Eup. consignata ; but, as they died in the pupa state, I was unable to verify my 

 suspicions. This larva closely resembles that of Eup. exigicata. — H. Harpur Crewe, 

 The Rectory, Drayton- Beaucharap, Tring, Jvne 22nrf, 1868. 



