OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1915 167 



around it several times before she could pull it out. It was re- 

 placed slowly in the sheath. During the long operation the an- 

 tennse hung pendant in front of the eyes. This observation was 

 made shortly after 3.30 p.m. and lasted eighteen minutes. 



On October 2, 1908, at 3.30 p.m., the authors and Mr. Hood 

 were able to observe the oviposition of a female Cerambycobius 

 cyaniceps Ashmead. The parasite having located with her 

 antennae a suitable spot, walked ahead until her abdomen was 

 directly over the spot, then raising the abdomen and at the same 

 time curving it beneath until the ovipositor sheath was perpen- 

 dicular to the square at the spot selected. With a sudden jabbing 

 movement the square was pierced. The sheath was removed 

 immediately and the abdomen straightened to its normal position. 

 The ovipositor being still in a vertical position, was quickly in- 

 serted its entire length. Then by an up and down movement the 

 portion of the abdomen at the base of the ovipositor was pushed 

 out into a triangular process. During the process of oviposition 

 the abdomen was moved from side to side and the ovipositor was 

 frequently drawn partially out and again inserted. During the 

 operation, which lasted about four minutes, the antenn'al flagella 

 were hung in a downward vertical position in front of the face. 

 When the process was completed the ovipositor was withdrawn 

 very suddenly and snapped back into the sheath. 



On October 6, 1908, this same species was observed trying to 

 oviposit at 9.00 a.m. at a temperature of 69 and under a cloudy 

 sky. At 11.00 o'clock on the same day, with a temperature of 

 70 and the sky 100 per cent cloudy, a female was observed to 

 oviposit, taking seven minutes for the process. Observations on 

 this day were continued and the parasites were found to work at 

 all times of the day and in all conditions of sunlight. The longest 

 period of oviposition which was recorded lasted fifteen and a half 

 minutes. 



On November 2, 1908, at 11.00 a.m., Mr. Hood recorded the 

 oviposition of Sigalphus curculionis Fitch. The female crawled 

 over the square, feeling of it with her antennae. After finding a 

 suitable spot her abdomen was raised until nearly vertical and 

 then the ovipositor swung down and was placed for insertion at a 

 point directly between her front legs. The sheath was forced in 

 on a slant by one continuous push. The sheath was then removed 

 and the ovipositor was forced in by an up and down motion. Dur- 

 ing this movement she turned around half way and in a short time 

 returned to her first position. After about three minutes her 

 ovipositor was removed. 



These records of oviposition have been given in detail on ac- 

 count of the extreme scarcity of accurate observations on the 

 method of oviposit ion by parasites. 



