10 Psyche [February 
for 11 minutes; the abdomen, during this time, was inclined upward, 
its tip applied to the surface and the ovipositor appearing as a per- 
pendicular rod issuing from the venter slightly beyond the proximal 
third. After drilling through the crust of the puparium, the rotary 
motion was considerably lessened but not entirely discontinued and 
10 more minutes were consumed in working the ovipositor back 
and forth, apparently in order to enlarge the aperture, the edges of 
which were frayed. ‘The ovipositor was then pushed farther into the 
aperture, the abdomen moving up and down slightly arid gradually 
being triangularly or conically produced at the base of the ovipositor, 
and as the latter entered farther, approaching nearer and nearer to 
the surface of the puparium, until after 30 seconds the ovipositor was 
fully inserted. The female then remained motionless for 32 minutes, 
when the ovipositor was partially redrawn and reinserted two or three 
times, and finally wholly withdrawn from the host, assuming its usual 
concealed position within the valves along the venter. Upon the 
withdrawal of the ovipositor, the female immediately left the host. 
The time that she was engaged in the whole operation was 254 minutes. 
(4) Observations made on three females depositing eggs into puparia 
of the Phormia, on Sept. 29, 1908, showed in three instances that the 
ovipositor was fully inserted for 70, 90 and 95 seconds respectively. 
(5) On Sept. 18, 1908, a female of this parasite was confined in a 
small homeopathic vial with a quantity of muscid puparia of varying 
ages — some three or four days old, some but several hours. ‘The 
female chose an ‘“‘old” puparium, formed about two days, and ap- 
parently deposited three eggs into it, one following the other. At 
first, she chose a place for inserting the ovipositor by examining closely 
the entire surface of the host; the ovipositor was then guided to the 
spot by bending the abdomen, the whole body convexly bent, the 
head turned as though the insect was watching the operation; as soon 
as placed, the ovipositor was released from the valves along the venter 
and the abdomen assumed its usual position. Piercing the shell of 
the puparium required 14 minutes; the ovipositor was then inserted 
for its entire length, without other delay, and as quickly withdrawn, 
fifty seconds being occupied in enlarging the hole. After this short 
period of time, the ovipositor was pushed in again for its entire length, 
remaining so for forty-five seconds, during which time, apparently, 
the egg was deposited. After the ovipositor was withdrawn, the 
parent parasite carefully examined the puncture with the antennae 
