1 06 The Larval and Papal Stages of Agriotes obscurus 



outward. The ninth abdominal segment is equal to the length of the 

 seventh and eighth segments combined, and possesses a ventral papilla 

 or pseudopodium. This, according to Sharp (17), "represents a body 

 segment and is generally described as being the protruded termination 

 of the ahmentary canal." The pseudopodium is round, sloping gradu- 

 ally to meet the eighth segment, and with a sudden slope posteriorly 

 to meet the remainder of its segment. The apex is white and flattened 

 and bears a few short hairs. The pseudopodium is of some assistance 

 to the larva in walking. The three pairs of legs are provided with 

 spines and are dark brown, short and terminating in a curved claw. 

 The legs do not require any special description; the right leg of the 

 third pair is figured in Plate XVII, fig. 11. 



5, Description of the Pupa. 



Before proceeding to describe the pupa, some details will be given 

 with regard to pupation, etc. The first pupa was found on Aug. 14, 1915, 

 pupation had therefore occurred within seven days, as the last previous 

 examination had taken place on Aug. 7, 1915. At the previous exami- 

 nation it was observed that several larvae were very sluggish, and sub- 

 sequent events showed that they were preparing for pupation. The 

 first adult Agriotes ohscurus was observed in a freshly emerged condition 

 on Aug. 30, 1915. This would place the pupal period at from two to 

 three weeks. Observations on other pupae show that this period is 

 correct. Pupae were found up to the end of September, and all the 

 adults had emerged by the 9th of October. Pupation takes place in 

 an earthen cell at a depth in the soil varying from three to twelve inches. 

 The pupal cell is oval and allows ample space for pupation. The 

 average dimensions of three cells was 5 by 14 by 7 or 8 mm. The 

 photograph (Fig. 1) shows a section through a typical pupal cell, with 

 the pupa lying in a characteristic position. 



The internal walls of the pupal cell are smooth, and appear to have 

 been slightly cemented together with some glutinous secretion. The 

 cell will stand air-drying without crumbling away, to a greater extent 

 than an artificial cell made of similar soil but not cemented. The 

 method by which the data concerning the pupal cell were obtained 

 is as follows: — the plant pot, taken into the laboratory and the zinc 

 cover removed, was filled level to the top with soil of a known depth, 

 the soil being slightly compressed to produce cohesion. A piece of stout 

 cardboard was placed firmly over the top and the pot then inverted so 



