the rearing boxes (see Plate VIII, No. 1211a), although there is no 

 way of knowing whether the adult would have emerged from the 

 ground in the fall, under natural conditions, or would have remained 

 in the pupal cell until the following February or March. All of 

 which readily explains the occurrence of adults in the cane fields 

 throughout most of the year. 



THE EGG STAGE. 



Tlie average length of the egg stage, from the date it is laid to 

 the date of hatching, was determined as fourteen days. This average 

 was secured from a total of 1,089 eggs, the hatching of which was 

 observed. The niaxinunn length of egg stage was seventeen days, 

 recorded in ^larch. and the minimum ten days, recorded in Sep- 

 tember. 



Description. — The egg of PhyUophagu vandinci is opaque and 

 pearly white in color (in that regard resembling the eggs of other- 

 species of the genus). When first laid it is slender oblong-oval in 

 sliape. about 2.75 mm. to 3 mm. in length by 1.62 mm. to 1.75 mm. 

 in breadth. It swells greatly before hatching, and becomes almost 

 spherical, 3 mm. to 3.25 nnn. in length by 2.35 nun. to 2.65 mm. in 

 breadth. (See Plate III, fig. 1.) 



Eggs are deposited among roots in the soil in small globular pits, 

 or cavities, which are made by the ovipositor of the female. One 

 egg is laid in each pit and rests at the bottom. (See Plate V. fig. 9.) 

 The earth forming the walls of the pit is cemented or compressed in 

 such a way that even in dry sifted soil the pits usually remain 

 intact, wdien the soil is sifted, until put under pressure of the thumb. 

 The pit varies from two to three times the diameter of the egg, and 

 serves to maintain a uniform humidity as well as to prevent the soil 

 from touching the egg. When fully swollen the egg does not com- 

 pletely fill the pit, so that when it hatches the grub, which is half 

 again greater in diameter than the swollen egg (see Plate III, fig. 2), 

 has a natural cell in which to move about and begin existence. 



THE W^HITE-GRUB, OR LARVAL HTAGE. 



In common with other white-grubs, the larva of PhijUophagn van- 

 iJinci molts its skin three times, passing through three distinct instars. 

 In computing the length of life-cycle the average, maximum, and 

 minimum lengths of each instar were found. 



Of fifty larv« of this species reared from Q^g. to pupal stage, in 

 wliicli the exact dates of hatching of egg and of pupation w-n-e re- 



72 



