THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 323 



crawl quite fast and with regularity. Nothing of material importance was 

 learned in regard to their food habits. 



When confined in spacious glass jars containing fresh sod, the 

 females wandered about a great deal through the grass at first, but soon 

 commenced to enter the earth to oviposit. In confinement they were 

 often unsuccessful in this, owing to improper conditions of the soil 

 supplied ; but under proper conditions they quickly become used to 

 confinement, and naturally perform their functions. 



The length of life in both sexes averages about three days. The 

 males apparently die immediately after copulation is finished, and they 

 take no part in the process of oviposition. 



II. Oviposition and ovipositing females. 



1. Laboratory methods. 



Supposed fertilized females were confined in glass jars (lo cm. 

 diameter by 15 cm.) containing eight centimetres of ordinary grass sod 

 taken from moist sandy loam or other soils. The jars were covered with 

 muslin, which overhung the sides, making it quite dark within. Four jars 

 were thus started and kept in the laboratory. Oviposition was easily 

 observed, as the females generally entered the earth at the sides, and thus 

 every movement could be seen. In one jar males were present with the 

 females. 



2. Details of ovipositing females. 



The method of oviposition in Bibio is highly interesting because of 

 the peculiar habit of entering entirely within the soil, and also because the 

 parent's life is at once given up for the sake of its progeny. The female 

 literally buries itself within the earth, and after deposition dies there. 



After wandering about for several hours amongst the grass, the insect 

 commences to search for a suitable place at which to enter the soil. When 

 confined as described, they almost invariably selected a spot near the 

 side of the jar, and would always select, if present, a spot where the earth 

 was cracked, or where a crevice of some kind existed. Here they begin 

 to dig by using their stout anterior tibiae, described later, continuing until 

 several centimetres below the surface. Oviposition then takes place as 

 given in the following details : 



A. — Nine females were taken from the trees when first observed, on 

 the 24th of March, and confined at 10 p.m. in one of the large jars men- 

 tioned in foregoing. Some of these were known to be fertilized, while the 



