1910] Girault and Sanders —Chalcidoid Parasites 159 
number of healthy hosts, allowing some range in choice as regards 
the number of progeny. In case a, 23 progeny out of a “possible”’ 
40 resulted, and in case b, 15 progeny out of a “possible” 30 re- 
‘sulted. As these pairs were fresh and had not reproduced pre- 
viously, the results at least give us some notion concerning fecundity 
of the species. 
D. Length of Life Cycle. We know nothing concerning the dura- 
tion of the different stages, and but little concerning the duration 
of the cycle as a whole. What has been learned, was obtained by 
experiments conducted in confinement and is summarized in the 
following table: . 
TaBLE I. DuRaTION OF THE LIFE CYCLE IN Muscidifurax raptor, 
SEVERAL CYCLES, 1908. 


| Duration of the 







Lot Numberof | Eggs Adults | Cycle. 
No. Progeny. Deposited. Emerged. | 5 
| | Days. | Hours. 
tee big ?s Noon, Sept. 10 10a.m., Oct. 1) 20 22 
2 | 2s Noon, Sept. 29 | Noon, 1Oct. 19 20 0 
| 
3 2 (cP) 9a.m., Sept. 30| 3 p. m., Oct. 19 19 6 
4 | 23 (4 2’s, 19 2’s)| Noon, Oct.1 | Noon, Oct. 20 19 0 
5 eye hd 228) eal Noone Octal 4p. m., 10ct. 20) 19 4 
PSYC TLS OREM 3.7.30. bende. YR R ce ear ene ky, tees epee re 19 17 

E. Proportion of the Sexes. Of the 288 reared specimens of this 
species concerning which the nature of the sex was recorded, there 
were 85 males and 203 females, or nearly two and a half times more 
females than males. This high preponderance of the females is 
unexpected in view of the natural history of the species, but par- 
thenogenesis may account for it, following as it does no general law 
in the Hymenoptera. The figures given are for the whole total of 
the specimens reared by us, either artificially or from hosts obtained 
in nature and the proportions may be warped. Of the former — 
totalling 52, but 

those bred in confinement, hence artificially 

1 Approximated to hours. 
