THYSANOPTERA AND ORTHOPTERA. 191 



among the Terebrantia. Mj- observations on the former species con- 

 firm in the main the description given by Jordan (1888, p. 583). Copu- 

 lation in Anthothrips verhasci was not uncommon at the end of July, 

 when it was observed on separating the seed capsules of spikes of mul- 

 lein (Verhascum thapsus). In every case observed the male and fe- 

 male met while crawling in opposite directions. When the two were 

 side by side, the male turned and crawled upon the back of the female. 

 His abdomen was curled down by the side of hers, usually on the right 

 side but observed at least once on the left, and brought into contact 

 with the female's at the base of the tube. In most cases the female 

 crawled a short distance, say 5 or 6 mm. with the male on her back. 

 The male then turned aside and crawled from the l^ack of the female, 

 the abdomens separated, and both insects crawled away in the same 

 direction as they were going when they met. In one instance the fe- 

 male kept on crawling when the male tried to mount her l^ack, and the 

 genital o])enings were never brought into contact. The next male she 

 met, however, was ]3ermitted to complete the act. The whole of a suc- 

 cessful copulation occupied 16 to 18 seconds. Jordan (1888, p. 583) 

 states that the male creeps vip behind the female, and that copulation 

 lasts about half a minute. In other particulars his description for the 

 entire suborder Tubulifera agrees very well with my observation on 

 Anthothrips verhasci. 



In the suborder Terebrantia, however, there is a substantial dis- 

 agreement Ijetween Jordan's account (1888, p. 58-4) and observations 

 made on Euthrips tritici. Jordan dismisses copulation in this suborder 

 with the statement that the male is carried around on the back of the 

 female, and that his abdomen is bent beneath hers. In the three cases 

 which I have to record, the males were not being carried. Two of these 

 copulating pairs were rather forcibly ejected from flowers by genth' 

 Squeezing the latter between the fingers, hence it was not to be expected 

 that the in.sects were necessarily in their natural position relative to 

 each other. In both cases the male projected laterally from the fe- 

 male, or at an angle backward as stated by Mr. Frederick Gaige, who 

 observed one of these pairs. The male of one pair was mounted, and 

 its external genitalia found to be considerably distorted. The third 

 pair was observed on the silks of common field corn (Zea mays). I am 

 certain in this case that I did not in any way prevent the thrips from 

 maintaining their natural positions. The abdomens were in contact 

 at'or near their tips, and the two individuals faced in opposite direc- 

 tions. Both were resting directly on the corn-silks. "\Mien I moved 

 the silks, the female crawled away, dragging the male after her for a 

 short distance. 



Many thrips have a tooth on the tarsus, which Hinds (1902, p. 99) 



