The White-faced Decticus: the Eggs 



adopted for laying the eggs. The sabre 

 alone scratches, sweeps and smooths the 

 ground with its point, very clumsily, it must 

 be admitted. 



Now all is in order. The abdomen and 

 the ovipositor are restored to their normal 

 positions. The mother allows herself a mo- 

 ment's rest and goes to take a turn in the 

 neighbourhood. Soon she comes back to the 

 site vv^here she has already laid her eggs 

 and, very near the original spot, which she 

 recognizes clearly, she drives in her tool 

 afresh. The same proceedings as before are 

 repeated. 



Follow another rest, another exploration 

 of the vicinity, another return to the place 

 already sown. For the third time the pointed 

 stake descends, only a very slight distance 

 away from the previous hole. During the 

 brief hour that I am watching her, I see her 

 resume her laying five times, after breaking 

 off to take a little stroll in the neighbour- 

 hood; and the points selected are always very 

 close together. 



On the following days, at varying inter- 

 vals, the sowing is renewed for a certain 

 number of times which I am not able to state 

 exactly. In the case of each of these partial 



237 



