^H DEVELOPMENT OF COPIDOSOMA GELECHI^E. 339 



its eggs in the following May. It has been discovered, however, 

 that G. gallasolidaginis from the galls of S. canadensis in western 

 Ohio likewise drops several eggs soon after emerging from the 

 pupa in September. This raises the question as to whether these 

 fall eggs develop into larvae, for if so it would be difficult to explain 

 how the young caterpillars could withstand the winter and succeed 

 in the spring in finding a young goldenrod bud or shoot in which 

 to start the new gall. 



In reply to an inquiry, Mr. A. Busck of Washington kindly 

 informed the writer that the laying, of eggs by Gnorimoschema 

 was of no particular significance, as it is not uncommon for certain 

 Lepidoptera to drop their eggs prematurely, especially if kept in 

 captivity. In view of this fact an observation made in the fall 

 of 1913 is of special interest. During the first few days of Sep- 

 tember of that year a single female, confined in a cage with several 

 males, laid a dozen or more eggs on goldenrod leaves and flowers. 

 On the thirteenth of the month three larvae hatched from this 

 batch of eggs! There can be no possible doubt as to the correct- 

 ness of this observation, for the hatching of one of the little cater- 

 pillars was actually observed under a hand lens. 



It is difficult to explain the development of these larvae from 

 fall eggs, except on the basis of parthenogenesis. It is true that 

 the female which laid the eggs from which the larvae developed 

 had been confined with males; but although males and females 

 have been kept together for several weeks during each of the last 

 three seasons, yet mating has never been observed. The sup- 

 position that the fall eggs of G. salinaris may develop by parthen- 

 ogenesis receives strong support from a study of sections of eggs 

 laid by a female not associated with males. In Fig. 20 is shown 

 a transverse section of one of her eggs and it can clearly be seen 

 that development is well started. Twelve eggs out of the batch 

 were sectioned, and it was found that eleven had started to 

 develop, although apparently not in a normal manner. It is 

 not improbable that some few eggs may develop normally and 

 eventually produce larvae. The question of parthenogenesis in 

 the Solidago moths is one needing further study. 



It might be worth while to add that parthenogenetic develop- 

 ment among Lepidoptera is by no means unknown. DeGeer is 



