THE BROWN ARGUS 
219 
Hibernation. Hibernation is passed in the larval state, usually 
when quite small, after the first moult, or second moult. They 
hibernate on the under surface of the leaves and remain in 
that state, in complete torpidity, throughout the winter. 
Egg and Egg Laying. When intent on depositing, the 
female flits about over the herbage in search of a suitable 
plant of Rock-rose. Having selected one to its fancy, it 
settles on a sprig, turns round once or twice, curves its abdo¬ 
men down and deposits a single egg on the under surface of 
the leaf next to the midrib and flies off to another plant to 
repeat the process. Those I have watched depositing have 
always been in brilliant sunshine and usually lay about noon. 
1 he egg is 0*50 mm. in diameter and of a compressed globular 
shape ; it is sunken in the centre, appearing to the naked eye 
as a dull central spot. The whole surface is covered with 
irregular raised reticulations of a network pattern ; the juncture 
of each ridge is elevated to a prominent point, most developed 
round the upper part surrounding the crown. The colour 
when first laid is greenish-white ; this remains unchanged until 
just before hatching, when it becomes an opaque pearl-white. 
Upon emerging from the egg, the larva eats away a compara¬ 
tively large hole in the crown, but occasionally at the side, 
which is an unusual habit, as the manner of emerging is 
constant in each species. The egg stage lasts six days. 
Larva. The young larva lives on the tinder surface of the 
leaf, feeding on the cuticle of the under side only, and later 
on tunnels between the upper and under cuticles, feeding 
on the interior substance. This produces yellowish patches 
on the upper surface. But when in its last stage, it usually 
lives on the under surface of a leaf, which it admirably fits 
and resembles in colour, ft often perforates the leaf and 
sometimes feeds on the edge. 
When fully grown, after the fourth moult, it measures 11 mm. 
in length. It is of the usual Lycaena shape. The ground 
colour is a clear, delicate light green. Down the centre of the 
back is a dull purplish-coloured stripe, composed of a series of 
oval markings, which runs along a slight dorsal furrow, each 
segment rising above it on either side ; along the side is a 
series of oblique, wavy, dark green stripes; they start on 
the third segment and end on the ninth segment, three on 
