Vol. XXvi] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 2IQ 



remained on the host longer or until completely engorged. 

 However, when taken from the host before complete engorge- 

 ment, they showed no difference in the length of the preovi- 

 position period but deposited their eggs on an average as early 

 as those that were completely engorged when detached, but it 

 is to be noted that they deposited a smaller number of eggs. 



Another peculiar feature noted was the difference in the 

 length of incubation period between the eggs deposited at the 

 beginning of oviposition and those last deposited. Take for 

 instance Tick No. i which began ovipositing on June 8th and 

 continued until June 2ist, covering a period of fourteen days. 

 The eggs began hatching on July 5th and presumably they were 

 all hatched by July roth. If the eggs first deposited are the 

 first to hatch they would cover an incubation period of twenty- 

 seven days, while if the last deposited eggs were the last to 

 hatch their period would be nineteen days, making a differ- 

 ence of eight days between the eggs first deposited and those 

 of the last of oviposition. From this it appears that eggs first 

 deposited require a longer period of incubation than those de- 

 posited later. I hope at a later date to be able to make more 

 extended observations on this feature of the period of incuba- 

 tion. 



Fragments on North American Insects IX. 



By A. A. GIRAULT, Washington, D. C. 



Nematus ribesii in Virginia (Hym.). 



As noted above, larvae in various stages of development were to 

 be found at Blacksburg on currants and gooseberries on May 13, 1902. 

 From some of those kept indoors, adults were obtained on May 26, 

 after about twelve days in the cocoon. 



Nematus ventralis (Hym.). 



Some larvae obtained from willow in the same locality June 28, 1902, 

 cocooned on the following day and emerged between July 23 and 31, 

 after from twenty-four to thirty-two days, 



Callirhytis glandulosus in Virginia (Hym.). 



Professor William B. Alwood was kind enough to bring to me from 

 Cumberland Court House, Virginia, some branches of scrub oak on 

 which were some very remarkable galls. They were within the acorns 

 (July 30, 1901) and Professor Alwood told me that when he was ex- 

 amining them when on the trees, the small cases containing the larva 



