The Leucospes 



inside the outer trench and of the shding, one 

 over the other, of the two portions of the 

 former, the egg can be dispatched to the end 

 of the ovipositor notwithstanding the absence 

 of any muscular contraction, which is impd^- 

 sible in a horny conduit. 



We have only to press the upper surface of 

 the abdomen to see it disjoint itself from the 

 first segment, as though the insect had been 

 cut almost in two at that point. A wide gap 

 or hiatus appears between the first and second 

 rings; and, under a thin membrane, the base 

 of the ovipositor bulges out, bent back into a 

 stout hook. Here the filament passes through 

 the insect from end to end and emerges un- 

 derneath. Its issue is therefore near the base 

 of the abdomen, instead of at the tip, as usual. 

 This curious arrangement has the effect of 

 shortening the lever-arm of the ovipositor and 

 bringing the starting-point of the filament 

 nearer to the fulcrum, namely, the legs of the 

 insect, and of thus assisting the difficult task 

 of inoculation by making the most of the ef- 

 fort expended. 



To sum up, the ovipositor when at rest 

 goes round the abdomen. Starting at the 

 base, on the lower surface, it runs round the 

 2S7 



