March, 19^0.] DiCKERSOX & WeISS : EvEXIXG PRIMRUSE IxSECTS. 55 



when the insect was first ohserved. Tlie insect was facing upward 

 with its feet well braced and continued the work of excavating the 

 cavity for about five minutes. Having completed this operation, it 

 reversed its position so that the tip of the abdomen fitted in the 

 cavity, spent about a minute in depositing the tgg and then again 

 reversed its position and assumed one similar to that which it main- 

 tained in making the cavity except that now the cavity was more 

 nearly under the center of its body. Having resumed its position, 

 the beetle reached forward as far as it conveniently could without 

 moving its legs and began tearing minute strips of tissue one after 

 another from the surface, pulling them back over the cavity and con- 

 tained egg and pressing them down. The first few strips were en- 

 tively removed and pushed into the cavity over and about the egg. 

 After continuing in this operation for about ten minutes with the 

 result that a number of the minute strips had beeit turned back over 

 the egg cavity and a half -oval space marked off above the egg punc- 

 ture, the beetle again faced about and assuming a like position began 

 tearing up strips from below the egg puncture and folding them 

 back over it. This it continued for thirty minutes with the result 

 that a number of strips had been folded back and the oval completed 

 below the puncture. Then assuming its previous position, it renewed 

 the operation of tearing up and folding back the strips above the 

 egg cavity and continued this for some 25 minutes and finally very 

 briefly pressed down and smoothed over the whole mass. The whole 

 operation thus occupied more than 75 minutes. 



As oviposition occurs over a considerable period it results that 

 some plants become pretty well covered with egg scars. As a rule 

 the lowest placed eggs are the earliest laid, while the upper part of 

 the stem is more apt to be free from punctures, but there are excep- 

 tions. The following records will give an idea of the amount of 

 infestation. The stems were collected at Trenton, X. T.. Tunc 28. 



Averages 



