— 12 — 



During- the operation of digg-ing the hole and hiving her eggs 

 the insect's body is stretched to its utmost. 



When the eggs have all been laid the female extrudes from 

 its abdomen a frothy, more or less glutinous substance in suf- 

 ficient quantity to fill the remainder of the hole. This substance 

 on drying hardens to some extent and then resembles a very 

 light pith. It is more or less impervious to water, and in a man- 

 ner protects the eggs from the elements, while at the same 

 time it affords an eas}' means of escape to the surface for the 

 young saltonas when they hatch. In some locusts, and espe- 

 cially those that are native to countries with damp cold climates? 

 this pithy material is quite abundant and ver\' much more 

 impervious to moisture than in such as are found in warmer 

 and more arid regions. It is also more abundant in those forms 

 which la}^ their eggs in fall rather than in the spring of the year. 



