Dorothy J. Jackson 285 



never observed the weevils fly, but in spring if confined in a small space 

 and placed in sunlight they become very active and use their wings 

 freely. If liberated under these conditions they run about for a short 

 time, then raise their elytra, spread their wings and fly quickly out of 

 sight. The hibernated weevils were to be found in Kent until the be- 

 ginning of July, and from Hampshire I received a hibernated female 

 collected as late as August 11th. In Ross-shire they were to be found 

 till the end of August or the beginning of September, but only a few 

 occurred towards the end of these periods. As the weevils become older 

 they get more rubbed till eventually practically all their scales disappear. 

 They can thus be easily distinguished superficially from their newly- 

 hatched progeny. In captivity weevils collected in Kent in April 

 began to die off in the end of June, but a few survived till August 

 3rd. From weevils collected in Ross-shire in July a few survived 

 in captivity till the middle of November. None of the hibernated 

 weevils from Kent or Ross-shire were observed to live through a second 

 winter. 



Egg-laying. As will be shown later, the weevils do not commence 

 to Jay eggs until spring, but in the beginning of April in Kent, in the 

 middle of May in Ross-shire, they lay eggs freely and are frequently to 

 be found paired. At first only a few eggs, one to five, are laid per day, 

 but later sometimes as many as 24 are laid daily. The numbers laid by 

 different females varies greatly; thus one female under observation com- 

 menced laying on April 21st and continued laying till the beginning of 

 September, producing in all 354 eggs, but another which commenced to 

 oviposit on May 6th continued to do so till the middle of November, 

 when a total of 1655 was attained. No doubt the confinement in small 

 dishes which these experiments necessitated, together with the abundant 

 food supplied, prolonged the life and the egg- laying activities of these 

 weevils, as in fields even in Scotland egg-laying had ceased in September. 

 A few days before commencement of egg-laying pairing takes place and 

 continues throughout the egg-laying season. The eggs are laid indiscri- 

 minately amongst the earth at the base of the plant where the beetles 

 rest, and whilst still pale in colour may often be seen adhering to the 

 under-surface of the clods. The eggs shrivel up unless they are kept 

 damp, but they hatch well if kept in moist earth. 



The weevils continue to lay until a short time before their death but 



fewer eggs are laid towards the end and only a minority of these hatched. 



In confinement eggs laid at different dates throughout the summer 



hatched always in 20 or 21 days. The egg-laying period thus extends in 



Ann. Biol, vn 19 



