[61 ] 



feature was constantly to be observed and appeared to be directly 

 associated with the sexual activity in progress. After attachment 

 contractile movements are observable at the tips of both abdomens 

 for a short period; subsequently the female rests absolutely passive. 

 Cf. Plate XXXVI. 



Oviposition. 



This may take place quite early after mating. F 1 after having 

 mated three times upon the 5th July commenced oviposition in the 

 evening. F 2 mated on the 5th was watched in the process of egg 

 laying on the morning of the 6th. Another female, F 5, hatched at 

 9.50 a.m. upon the 7th and mated immediately afterwards. She 

 mated again with the same male M 12 in the afternoon. They separated 

 at 4.20 and at 5.27 she was watched engaged in oviposition, and her 

 eggs were collected when she had moved away. 



Curtis {Farm Insects, p. 445) says : "the eggs are laid by the females 

 as they fly or when they rest among the herbage and are propelled 

 as from a pop-gun." So far I have not been able to witness this 

 propulsion of the eggs while the insects were on the wing, but it will 

 be understood that the 'conditions^ of my earlier experiments were not 

 favourable to this method. 



I have repeatedly watched the process amongst grasses. The 

 female stands in a vertical position with the ovipositor pushed well 

 down and into the soil if she can reach it. Sometimes a backward 

 and forward screwing motion of the body is indulged in so that the 

 ovipositor is bored well into the ground. Spasmodic jerks of the hinder 

 part of the abdomen indicate the expulsion of the eggs one by one. 

 After a few minutes she moves along a little way and the process is 

 repeated. About half-a-dozen eggs may be deposited at the same 

 spot, frequently fewer. In one case I was able on lifting a female, 

 not actually ovipositing but exhibiting spasmodic movements of the 

 ovipositor, to get her to lay an egg upon a card in my hand. 



Newly hatched females are bulky in appearance at the anterior 

 end of the abdomen. After oviposition they become slender. In this 

 way one can tell whether a female has oviposited or not, though not 

 generally whether the process is completed or not. The eggs in the 

 newly hatched female mostly show black in colour through the skin 

 and are shelled before fertihzation. Advanced female pupae have 

 the abdomen filled with the ovaries which are of a pale salmon pink 



