173 
larvae presumably having been killed by the physiological 
reactions of the hosts. In another experiment a female was 
supplied with Pseudococcus krauhniae (Kuwana), but in this 
case the mealybugs were wholly ignored by the parasite. 
This parasite seems always to choose first-stage larvae for 
oviposition, and preferably those that have recently hatched, 
and examines them first with her antennae. Having satisfied 
herself that the larva is suitable, the female turns quickly 
about and protrudes the ovipositor backward beneath the victim, 
which is punctured usually through the venter. During the 
process the apical part of the abdomen is extended backward 
and downward in a cone-shaped body. ‘The ovipositor when 
protruded is slender, naked, or without external sheaths, and 
curved upward. The female usually places her hind tarsi on 
the host during oviposition, evidently partly for purposes of 
orientation and partly to hold it in place. The whole process 
of oviposition requires only about one or two seconds for 
completion. 
Development is evidently slow, as the host itself must grow 
to considerable size before it is finally killed and consumed by 
the parasite. A female that was supplied with newly hatched 
wirgatus on February 12 was observed to oviposit after a few 
minutes, and oviposition probably continued for several days, 
as on February 22 the parasite was found dead. Offspring 
from this reproduction began to issue on March 15 and con- 
tinued to issue up to April 5, indicating a minimum length 
of the life-cycle of thirty-two days and a maximum of about 
forty-five days. The rather great range in time required is 
probably due to differences in the rate of the preliminary 
development of the host. In warmer summer weather the rate 
of development ought to be considerably quickened. As com- 
pared with Pawridia peregrina Timberlake, which has similar 
habits, the life-cycle is approximately the same. A _ female 
Pauridia, which was supplied with larvae of Pseudococcus 
krauhniae for about twenty-seven hours on January 28 and 29, 
oviposited freely and produced offspring which issued between 
February 28 and March 11, inclusive, thus indicating a mini- 
mum life-cycle of thirty-one days and a maximum of forty- 
three days. 
