THE EGG
“The egg measures about 1.12 mm. in height and .7 mm. in diameter at the widest part, barrel-shaped, with fourteen vertical ribs. A brilliant yellow at first, it assumes after about thirty-six hours a reddish brown color. A few hours later an irregular, whitish broken ring, not quite circling the egg, appears about one-third of the distance from the top. When within an hour or so of hatching the shell becomes very thin and transparent and reflects the light with a sort of frosted-glass effect. The large black head of the larva inside gives the upper one-third of the egg a black, metallic appearance, while the yellowish body may be seen curled up in the lower part. The incubation period seems to vary greatly with the temperature, from forty-seven hours to seven days.”