JOURNAL OF ENTOMOLOGY AND ZOOLOGY 
145 
May 15, 191 1 — A pair were taken in copulation at 10 a. m.; at 
8 p. m. they were still in coitu, but this is exceptional as most of the 
pairs disengage very readily. In the morning the species is very 
active and although the males do not Hy far, they fly readily and 
it is difficult to pick them up by hand. The females are excellent 
fliers especially in the morning. 
Several pairs were taken in copulation and each pair was isolated 
in a separate vial in order to ascertain the number of eggs per fe- 
male. The clutch was determined by dissection. When the captive 
insects began to oviposit, the eggs shot out from the body, at first 
slowly, then more rapidly, one per second, later much slower again, 
the eggs being extruded one at a time. The total period of ovi- 
position required seven minutes; at the end of 60 seconds, in the 
space between 60 and 70 seconds, 18 eggs were laid, or 1.8 per sec- 
ond. Toward the end of egg-laying, the eggs appeared much more 
slowlv, one in two seconds. The eggs are quite sticky or viscid and 
adhere to the glass. When the female is in danger of death, as 
when she falls into the water, she begins, at once, to deposit the egg- 
complement. In nature it seems probable that one egg is laid at 
each descent to the water. As soon as the female touches the water, 
although she has not deposited an egg all day, she immediately 
starts to deposit the oblong black eggs. After the last egg is ex- 
pelled the muscles of the ovipositor still go through the motions of 
expulsion. One specimen was placed in the water and as usual be- 
gan to deposit her eggs. She was decapitated, laid 1 1 eggs and 
tried to lay still more but failed. The number of eggs laid varied 
from 316 to 372 with an average of 347 ; the time required for ovi- 
position varied from 7 minutes to 7 minutes and 40 seconds. In 
most cases the number of the egg-complement is probably betw^een 
300 and 400. 
DESCRIPTION OF THE IMMATURE STAGES 
Larva 
Length: P\illy extended, 14-15 mm.; diameter, 1-1.3 mm. 
Body of the larva with rather abundant appressed hairs; the sub- 
caudal enlargement with transverse rows of very small hairs, there 
being from 35 to 40 such rows. 
