78 Psyche [June 
It takes but a moment in the spongy water-soaked stem of a 
sedge to drive the instrument up to its base. Then, after a mo- 
ment of apparent quiet, the ovipositor is lifted slightly and the egg 
is forced by a series of abdominal contractions down the ovipositor 
and into the cavity reamed out to receive it. 
The egg when forced into the ovipositor distends it considerably 
as it passes through its channel and thus can be seen to slip down 
into position with its distal end directed forward beneath the 
insect. The ovipositor being at last withdrawn from beneath, 
the egg slips out from behind the exposed circular end of it. 
A number of eggs may be imbedded thus, in the stem before the 
ovipositor is sheathed—each one requiring a separate puncture. 
In the cylindrical stems of plants procumbent upon the water the 
eggs are likely to be inserted on the sides as they come in contact 
with the surface film, but this is by no means necessarily the case. 
As frequently as not the male accompanies the female during the 
process. Having mounted her in mating he merely moves for- 
ward and remains perched upon her back as she busies herself with 
egg laying, mating being attempted and often consummated 
between her labors. ! 
In starting the drill in a particularly stubborn or inconvenient 
place the female not infrequently uses one of her hind legs to steady 
and stiffen or support the drill. One female after making several 
attempts employed her right hind leg in such a manner that the 
tarsus was turned at an angle with the tibia and the angle thus 
formed used to direct and aid the ovipositor. 
During the process of oviposition the female often defends her- 
self from molestation by kicking vigorously with the hind legs 
when disturbed. 
Description of Eqq. 
Size: Length .875 mm.; greatest diameter .187 mm. to .250 mm.; 
diameter of exposed circle .15 mm. 
Shape: This shape is best shown in the drawing. The egg is 
elongate oval with a curved neck terminating ina flat surface which 
1In mating the male mounts the female—clasps his fore legs around her mesothorax in front 
of her middle legs—rests his middle legs upon the water film or other supporting surface and 
holds the hind legs poised in the air. The copulatory organ of the male is long and curves 
around the side of the tip of the female’s body to come into contact with the genital opening. 
Contact lasts from a few seconds to one minute or longer. Upon withdrawal the copulatory 
organ is seen to be a slender white tube of astonishing length. 
