THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



329 



However, two of the females again went into the channel, and began 

 to wedge themselves into firmer soil, working through and up towards the 

 surface, in continuation of the original burrow. They progressed solely 

 by the use of the fossorial tibiae, moving them alternately like paddles. 



Fig. i6. 



The path which they made through the soil, after digging through to the 



surface, is shown in figure' i6. 



Afterwards the insects were continually passing through this, 



apparently always in the direction indicated by the arrows in tlie figure, 



which was the direction taken when the burrow was formed. In but a 



single instance was a male observed to enter it. This occurred whil^ 



following his mate, and had no significance. 



All of the insects died within a few days, without having accoraplishsd 

 their purpose. 



III. — -Eggs, description and number deposited. 



The eggs are of the usual dipterous type, flesh-coloured, sub-linear, 

 and with the ends obtuse or rounded. One end is slightly curved and 

 thickened. They are opaque, smooth, or very minutely punctate, showing 

 no marked sculpture, and slightly variable in shape. Length 0.5-0.7 mm. 

 minute, but visible to naked eye. 



They are deposited in numbers varying from two to three thousand, 

 in compact, irregular masses, in sandy soil. If exposed to the atmosphere 

 they shrivel up and die. No marked external signs of embryonic develop- 

 ment are present. 



The length of the egg stage is about two weeks or longer. 



September, 1905. 



