2 
THE entomologist’s RP^CORD. 
each of these. This only occurs when the moth has been 
disturbed in laying and begins afresh, and there will often be 
40 or 50 and, with rumicis and venosa, 100 or more eggs laid 
with perfect regularity. 
The characters of the eggs may be most easily compared if 
shown in a tabular form : — 
Diameter, 
mm. 
Height, 
mm. 
Number of rib.<;. 
Colour, etc. 
myriciB 
I. I to 1.33 
•5 
66 
Pale areas compaiatively in- 
definite. 
am-ico7na 
1. 1 
• 32 
57 to 60 
Pale areas large and few. 
rtwiicis 
I.O 
.32 
54 
Pale areas very numerous, 
small, and forming a pale 
circle round a dark summit. 
77tc7iya7ithidis ... 
1. 1 
• -35 
50 
Pale areas more definite than 
77iyricce., intermediate in 
size between auricoma and 
ru77iicis. 
vc7iosa 
.95-1.1 
• 4 
41-45 
Very like 7‘umicis, but dark 
summit less definite and 
whole egg paler. 
The greater height of myriccE is due to its being a somewhat 
larger egg than the others and being more often laid singly. 
Such a specimen was selected for measurement and showed a 
greater height than could be found in them in an imbricated 
mass. The heights are given as actually recorded, but my 
impression is strong that the differences between the several 
species in this respect is trifling or evanescent. 
It is curious that the number of ribs should vary as it does, 
and especially that the difference should be so great in the 
most allied species, menyanthidis and myriccE having respectively 
66 and 50, and rumicis and venosa 54 and 44. This is quite 
parallel to what obtains between psi and t7'idens^ and probably 
has some relation to the circumstance that, though these pairs 
occupy the same areas and emerge at the same times (or 
nearly so), hybridisation as to none of them has been recorded. 
DESCRIPTION OF PLATE VII. 
Fig. I pnd 2. — Egg of Vhninia rumicis x 25 diam. 
Fig. 3. — ,, ,, venosa x 25 diam. 
P'ig. 3a. — Sketch of group of venosa eggs shewing imbrication x 25 diam. 
Fig. 4. — Egg of Viminia au7 ico77ia X 24 diam. 
Fig. 4a. — ,, ,, ,, vertical section. 
Fig. 4b. — Sketch of imbricated group of auricoma eggs X 25 diam 
5 * — Vimmia myriccc X 21 diam. 
P'ig. 5a. — ,, ,, ,, vertical section. 
Fig. 6 . — ,, ,, menyanthidis X 22 diam. 
Fig. 6a. — Sketch of imbricated group of menyanthidis e^gs x 17 diam. 
