﻿OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST. 87 



I have already explained (Rep. 7, p. 122) how, by means of the 

 horny valves at the end of her abdomen (Fig. 19) the female drills a 



[Fig. 19.] cylindrical hole in the ground in which to consign 



/T f^-- her eggs. , The curved abdomen stretches to its 



I ^ IsA^// utmost for this purpose, and the hole is generally a 

 'f |7^>~^ little curved and is always more or less oblique, (Fig. 



V^ 'ijP^"^'^ 18, e. d.) If we could manage to watch a female 

 locus"^-am°i™ciA1- during the arduous work of ovipositing we should 

 rnSr4^"aE;f^^'^' And that, when the hole is once drilled, there com- 

 mences to exude at the dorsal end of the abdomen, from a pair of 

 sponge-like exsertile organs (Fig. 20, h) that are normally retracted 

 and hidden beneath the super-anal plate, (Fig. 20, i) near the cerci, a 

 frothy, mucous matter, which fills up the bottom of the [Fig.'io.] 



hole. Then, with the two pairs of valves brought close 

 together, an egg would be seen to slide down the ovi- 

 duct {j) along the ventral end of the abdomen, and, 

 guided by a little finger-like style, * {g) pass in be- 

 tween the horny valves (which are admirably con- 

 structed, not only for drilling, but for holding and con- 

 ducting the egg to its appropriate place) and issue at 

 their tips amid the mucous fluid already spoken of. ^ 

 Then follows a period of convulsions, during which ovipositiok op 



IlocKY Mountain 



more mucous material is elaborated, until the whole locust. 

 end of the body is bathed in it — when another egg passes down and 

 is placed in position. These alternate processes continue until the 

 full complement of eggs are in place, the number ranging from 20 to 

 35, but averaging about 28. The mucous matter binds all the eggs in 

 a mass, and when the last is laid the mother devotes some time to 

 filling up the somewhat narrower neck of the burrow with a compact 

 and cellulose mass of the same material which, though light and 

 easily penetrated, is more or less impervious to water, and forms a 

 very excellent protection. (Fig. 21, d.) 



PHILOSOPHY OF THE EGG-MASS. 



To the casual observer the eggs of our locust appear to be 

 thrust indiscriminately in the hole made for their reception. A 

 more careful study of the egg-mass or egg-pod will show, however, 

 that the female took great pains to arrange them, not only so as to 

 economize as much space as possible consistent with the form of 



•This is a simple process or extension of the sternite, not particularized, that I am aware ol', by 

 any author. It may he known as the egg-guide or gubcrnaculum ovi. 



