192 THE KNTOMOLOGIST. 



began to lay, or at least puncture the leaves : this she did in 

 the following manner : — she walked slowly about the leaf, rest- 

 lessly feeling the surface with the end of the sheaths of the 

 saw ; this she did by continually drawing the saws to her by 

 bending her abdon)en ; when she was satisfied with the spot, 

 the saws were lowered nearly at right angles to the abdomen ; 

 a starting point was evidently then made; after which the 

 body was turned on one side, and the saws gradually forced 

 sideways into the leaf, until the abdomen reached quite close 

 to the surface ; she then remained quiet a very short time, and 

 gradually withdrew the saws again : it seemed to me that the 

 blades of the saw were opened before and whilst being with- 

 drawn, exactly in the same manner as a glove-stretcher is 

 used; the motion of the saw whilst puncturing the leaf was a 

 succession of short pushes, and a very slight withdrawal 

 before each push ; the operation took somewhere about half 

 a minute ; the eggs were laid, or at least the punctures were 

 made, in quick succession. The fly died about the middle of 

 the week, most probably from starvation. When the leaf was 

 punctured the entrance of the hole could clearly be seen with 

 the aid of a glass ; it had the appearance of a small bruise. 

 On Friday when I went to give the alder more water I noticed 

 that some of the leaves were covered rather thickly with 

 brown spots. On the evening of June 30th, on going again 

 to water the sprig, I was struck with the appearance of the 

 leaves; and on using the lens I found that the eggs had 

 hatched, and young larvge were crawling about the leaves. The 

 brown patches were now in holes, having been eaten through. 

 Of course it is just possible that the leaves may have had the 

 eggs deposited in them before 1 cut the sprig, but from the 

 situation from which it came I do not think it likely ; or at 

 least if an Eriocampa ovata should have laid its eggs in the 

 leaves, I do not think she would have laid so many in a leaf 

 as there are in the leaves of my sprig. To be quite sure, in 

 such a case, the alder should have been protected from any 

 chance of visitation from a strange sawfly before the experi- 

 mental one was introduced; still I feel perfectly satisfied 

 myself with the results of the experiment. I may say I have 

 not yet met with tiie male of Eriocampa ovala ; and I am 

 quite positive this female never saw one. Since the above 

 was written the leaves got rather dry in the night, and most 

 of the young larva? left the leaves, and as these were not 

 covered they escaped. — John B. Bridgman ; Norwich, 

 July 3, 1878. 



