— 136 — 



cocoon the body becomes shortened, measuring after that opera- 

 tion from 5 mm. to 9 mm. The body is nearly cylindrical in out- 

 line. The head is of medium size, being much smaller than either 

 of the tlioracic .segments. The thoracic .segments are somewhat 

 swollen ; and the abdomen tapers gradually from the thorax to the 

 caudal- end. The antennae are four jointed, and taper strongly. 

 A short distance ventro-caudad of each antenna is a single black 

 ocellus. The labrum is prominent and slightl}' emarginate. The 

 mandibles are strongly toothed. The maxillary palpi are four 

 jointed. The labium is slightly emarginate. The labial palpi 

 are three jointed. There are ten pairs of spiracles, two thoracic 

 and eight abdominal. The prothoracic spiracles are much larger 

 than the others and are greatly elongated. The second spiracles 

 open in the fold between the mesothorax and metathorax. The 

 remaining spiracles are borne by the abdominal .segments one to 

 eight. The thoracic legs are represented by very short tubercles. 

 There is at the caudal end of the body on the middle line dorsad 

 of the vent a prominent tubercle. This is terminated by a chiti- 

 nous ferrule-like ring ; and is doubtless an organ of locomotion, 

 aiding the in.sect in pushing itself up the cavit}' of the straw. On 

 each side of the ventral lobe at the caudal end of the body there is 

 also a stout .spine. These spines probably have the same function 

 as the tubercle just de.scribed. The body is naked except the head 

 and caudal extremit}'. There are a few slender .scattered hairs 

 upon the head, and a like quantity of stronger more spine-like 

 hairs at the caudal end. 



Note 3 : On the Position in which the Egg is laid. — " This in- 

 sect" saj'S M. Dugaigneau "after pairing pierces the stalk of the 

 rye, below the first knot, to deposit an egg in its interior, which 

 hatches .so much earlier, being warmed by the sun's rays concen- 

 trated close to the earth, amongst all the straw of the rye." (Cur- 

 tis Farm In.sects, p. 252.) My observations do not confirm this 

 statement. The insect appears to oviposit anywhere along the 

 larger part of the straw where it is hollow ; if anj' preference is 

 shown it is for the upper portion of the straw not for the lower. 

 Table, I. will serve to illustrate this point. In this table the space 

 between the horizontal lines represent the .sections of a straw of 

 wheat. The vertical lines represent the portion bored by the larvae 

 of Cephus, in thirt}^ straws taken from a single square yard on the 

 29th of June. Obviously in each case the ^%^ was laid somewhere 



