Rau — Observations on Samia C ectopia, Linn. 25 



2. DURATION OF LIFE OF FEMALE. 



(a) The duration of life of fertilized female from hatch- 

 ing until death. 



Notes derived from observations in seven instances. 



In A 8 we have the longest duration of entire life of 

 female, 9 days 19 hours and 30 minutes. In A 10 we 

 have the shortest duration of entire life of the female, 

 6 days and 16 hours. The average entire dura- 

 tion of life of female was 8 days 4 hours and 28 4/7 

 minutes. 



(b) Comparison of entire life of male and female. 



The duration of shortest lived male was 8 days 14 hours 

 and 40 minutes. The duration of shortest lived female 

 was 6 days and 16 hours. The shortest lived male out- 

 lived the shortest lived female by 1 day 22 hours and 40 

 minutes. The longest duration of life of female was 9 

 days 19 hours and 30 minutes. The longest duration of 

 life of male was 11 days 5 hours and 30 minutes. The 

 longest lived male outlived the longest lived female by 

 1 day and 10 hours. The average duration of life of 

 male over the average duration of life of female was 1 

 day 20 hours and 58 2/21 minutes. 



Without exception, in each copulating pair we find the 

 male to have outlived its mate, regardless of age at the 

 time of copulating. One is apt to suspect that the males 

 outlived their mates because they may have been younger 

 at the time of mating, but the figures given below will 

 show that the males survive the females whether both be 

 of equal age or whether the females be younger or 



