13 







siderably in size as the embryo develops, and five eggs within two or 

 three days of hatching averaged 3.9 millimeters in length and 2.8 

 millimeters in width. 



The eggs are deposited in an oval chamber measuring about H 

 inches long, 1 inch high, and 1 inch wide. The depth at which this 

 chamber is located varies with the time of year at which it is made, 

 as in the dry season it is some 8 inches underground, while in the wet 

 season it may be within 3 inches of the surface. The chamber is a 

 blind pocket leading off from one of the galleries; its entrance is 

 concealed by a packing of loose earth after the eggs are laid to pro- 

 tect them from nymphs or adults. The eggs are dropped by the 

 female in a loose heap. Egg clusters laid in captivity had an aver- 

 age of about 20 eggs, the largest heap containing 40, but in clusters 

 found in the field the average rose to about 25. The egg is ejected 

 very quickly, and the insect usually rests for a second or two before 

 ovipositing again. 



The greatest number of eggs deposited by any one female in cap- 

 tivity was 110 in four lots, and an examination of females taken in 

 the field (some of which had no doubt already begun laying) failed 

 to show more than this number of eggs in the ovaries. The changa 

 laying 110 eggs, adult when captured, began to oviposit after 21 

 days, continuing for 57 days at intervals which averaged 18 days and 

 dying the day the last cluster was laid. This was the longest ovi- 

 position period observed. Females in captivity deposited eggs every 

 month of the year except December, the greatest activity being shown 

 during April, May, and June. 



The duration of the egg stage averaged about 19 days for 20 lots, 

 with variations from 15 to 38 days. No relation was observed be- 

 tween the period of year at which eggs were deposited and the dura- 

 tion of the egg stage. 



Besides increasing in size as development progresses the egg be- 

 comes ovate in shape, owing to the greater enlargement of one end, 

 and changes from its gray color when first laid to a dirty, yellowish 

 white. For some time before hatching occurs the chitinized mouth 

 parts of the young changa within can be seen as a dark spot near one 

 end of the egg. At hatching the chorion of the egg splits longitudi- 

 nally, and the young changa emerges, backing its abdomen out first 

 and lastly withdrawing its head from the shell. Under natural con- 

 ditions practically all of the eggs hatch, only an occasional egg of a 

 cluster appearing to be infertile, and the few that do fail to hatch 

 are usually eaten by the first arrivals of the same brood. Eggs can 

 not survive being deposited in a very dry location. Some eggs kept 

 in the laboratory on dry sand for three weeks became shrunken and 

 dry, and although they regained their original plumpness when 

 placed on moist sand they failed to hatch. The check group from the 

 same cluster hatched normally. 



