264 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 
was laid; the ovipositor was then partly withdrawn by raising 
the abdomen, then inserted fully again and another egg was 
laid. Several eggs were laid before the ovipositor was with- 
drawn completely. During this process the sheath was usually 
released, springing straight out behind, before the stylets were 
free. 
It is hoped that the above will serve to correct a prevailing 
impression that Podagrion is unable to pierce with its ovipositor 
the hard mature ootheca of the Mantis. Xambeu (Bull. Soc. 
Ent. France, ser. 5, vol. vii. 1877, p. lxix.) records finding two 
specimens of this parasite under the hind wings of a Mantis, 
and assumed that they took up this position in order to lay 
their eggs in those of the Mantis during the construction of the 
ootheca. Giardina (Giorn. della Soc. di Sc. Nat. ed Econ. 
Palermo, xxi. 1899, p. 316) suggests that the female parasites 
cling to the edge of the wings of the Mantis by means of their 
toothea hind femora during the formation of the ootheca, and 
are thereby brought into a convenient position for attacking the 
Mantis eggs.* Leigh (Trans. Manchester Ent. Soc. 1912, 
p. 30) also assumes that Podagrion is unable to pierce the 
* T hope at a later date to publish some observations on the construc- 
tion of the ootheca, which do not support this author’s views as to the use 
of the wings during the process. 
