374 Annals Entomological Society of America  [Vol. V, 
2. The period between the next succeeding moults, in 
growing individuals, varies from nine to thirty-six days. 
3. The number of moults in different individuals varies 
from eight to thirty-two or more.* 
4. The rate of moulting in full grown larve, more than one 
year old, is once in eighteen to sixty-five days. 
5. Specimens under starvation moult once in fourteen to 
seventy-eight days. 
be | -PUPAMRION. 
When the larva reaches full growth the pupa begins to form 
within the last larval skin; and from three to five days later 
the skin splits down the median dorsal line and the light-yel- 
lowish pupa is exposed. The period of pupation lasts from 
eleven to seventeen days, though this may be considerably 
increased by low temperature, and we have noticed that the 
males are somewhat more precocious than the females. When 
the insects are fully developed they emerge through the large 
dorsal opening of the pupal skin. Should a specimen be 
forced out of the larval case when not fully matured though 
capable of locomotion, it invariably returns to its former 
position within the protective larval skin upon coming in 
contact with it. The females, after their elytra attain the dark 
adult color, usually remain in the. pupal cases a day or two 
longer than the males. The average life of the adult insect 
lasts about three weeks. 
6. COURTSHIP AND MATING. 
The females, on the day of their emergence, avoid the male 
specimens, but the following day or later they become submis- 
sive and copulation takes place. The male on coming in con- 
tact with a sexually excited female rubs his antennz against her 
abdomen and then quickly turning around brings the point of 
his abdomen in contact with that of the female. Promiscuous 
mating is general; a male usually impregnates a number of 
females and a female usually accepts several males. It might 
be well in this connection to mention the fact that the sense of 
smell is not well developed in this species. Experimental work 
shows that male specimens are unaware of the presence of 
sexually excited females, even when they are but a very short 
distance apart. 
*Some of the larve previously mentioned as having already lived almost 
three and a half years, have up to the present time moulted thirty-two times. 
