Biologji of H. leporis-jjahistris 533 



Oviposition. 



According to Rohr, the gorged and fecundated females begin to 



oviposit after 



2- 5 days, and oviposition lasts 14-21 days at ca. 21° C. 



13-15 „ „ „ 31-57 „ „ 15° C. 



The female dies without ovipositing when maintained at 0°C. 



Hooker, Bishopp and Wood state that females begin to oviposit 



3-15 days after they abandon the host, i.e. after 



3 days at ca. 32° C. (June 1910) 

 15 „ „ 20° C. (March 1910) 

 8 days in the spring and summer being the average for 25 ? s observed 



According to Hadwen the female begins to oviposit after 



18 days (1 ? in May 1910) 

 6 „ (12 „ „ 1911) 

 6 ,, (1 ? „ July 1911) 



The number of eggs luAd per female varies as follows: 

 Hunter and Hooker record that a $ laid 1112 eggs; they give such 

 small numbers of eggs as having been laid by three other females that 

 I conclude they must have been disturbed or that they were imperfectly 

 gorged specimens. 



Ruhr's observations are given in detail. The largest number of 

 eggs laid by one of five females was 2389 ; about 1820 would represent 

 the average number. The most replete females lay the most eggs. 

 The number of eggs laid per day, varied from 2 to 287 ; larger numbers 

 per day were laid when the females were maintained at a higher 

 temperature. We select two examples out of five tabulated by Rohr 

 as showing the innnber of eggs laid by two females on successive days. 

 The first tick began to oviposit on the 5th day and died within 24 

 hours after oviposition had ceased as indicated by the +. 



Day 12 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 IG 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 



— 46 75 79 112 158 178 148 176 172 187 118 82 134 76 49 27 19 2 + 



52 298 148 105 46 171 236 161 209 92 225 135 99 159 132 58 84 44 23 22 10 — + 



Totals 18.30 and 2389 respectively. 



The female usually dies 0-4 days after oviposition has ceased (at 

 21° C), but she may survive 2-28 days at a lower temperature (15°C.). 



Hooker, Bishopp and Wood record that 8 females laid 59-2240 eggs 

 apiece, averaging 1517; they also note that the most gorged females 

 lay the most eggs. One female oviposited for 20 days, the maximum 

 number of eggs laid per day being 303. Females survive 0-5 days 

 after oviposition has ceased. 



