of Apocrypta and S)fco2)]i(iga, $fc. 317 



head, however, is not elongate-oval, posteriorly truncate, 

 as in Sijcocryjjta, but nearly circular, rather broader at 

 the base and notched in front at the insertion of the an- 

 tennee, which are very short, triarticulate, fleshy, and 

 tumid at the apex ; their mouth being furnished with 

 short, powerful mandibles, strongly bidentate at the ex- 

 tremity, while exhibiting distinct black eyes placed on 

 each side of the disc. The thorax is much elevated and 

 compact throughout, somewhat broader than the head ; 

 the posterior tibiae being strongly outcurved, and the 

 thorax thus raised and adjusted by the posterior tarsi. 

 Their colour is stramineous at first, becoming rufo-fulvous 

 when desiccated ; and their total length, with the abdo- 

 men extended, is about 2 mill. ; that of Sycocrypta coeca 

 being stated at from 4 to 4| mill. 



No BlastophagcB, nor any species corresponding with 

 Sycocrypta or Apocrypta perplexa, were met with in the 

 Egyptian sycamore figs, in company with the other type 

 furnished with the pecvdiar caudal processes, considered 

 by Dr. Coquerel as bronchial appendages, the large 

 trache;^ abutting thereon ; and, in accordance with the 

 analogies Avitnessed in other instances, this Egyptian 

 species, differing from A. paradoxa in the structure of the 

 antennas, thorax, tibire and abdomen, as described in the 

 sequel, and domiciled in broods with Sycophaga cras- 

 sipes, 9, must obviously be regarded as its male. 



Their life history appears to be as follows : Among 

 hundreds of sycamore figs examined during the months 

 of September and October, all the females found in these 

 figs were denuded of their wings ; being apparently 

 hibernating females of the previous year, which obtain 

 access to the interior by a minute hole which they make 

 in the so-called " eye" of the fig, for the purpose of deposit- 

 ing their eggs in the seeds from within. For thus pene- 

 trating themselves through the exterior, their acute falcate 

 mandibles are admirably adapted. Every small unripe 

 green sycamore fig contained from three to six of these 

 dead or effete wingless females. Possibly those figs not 

 thus attacked fall off" the tree ; to provide against which, 

 as well as to promote maturity, caprification is said to be 

 resorted to in the case of the domestic fiff. Towards the 



consist of Jive more; ascribing eiffht segments to ^1. paradoxa, and only 

 four ox ficc (quatrc a cinq) to ^1. pcrjjlexa. 



