261 



THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



was laid ; the ovipositor was then partly withdrawn by raising 

 the abdomen, then inserted fully again and another egg was 

 laid. Several eggs were laid before the ovipositor was with- 

 drawn completely. During this process the sheath was usually 

 released, springing straight out behind, before the stylets were 

 free. 



It is hoped that the above will serve to correct a prevailing 

 impression that Podagrion is unable to pierce with its ovipositor 

 the hard mature ootheca of the Mantis. Xambeu (Bull. Soc. 

 Ent. France, ser. o, vol. vii. 1877, p. Ixix.) records finding two 

 specimens of this parasite under the hind wings of a Mantis, 



Fig. 1. 



and assumed that they took up this position in order to lay 

 their eggs in those of the Mantis during the construction of the 

 ootheca. Giardina (Giorn. della Soc. di Sc. Nat. ed Econ. 

 Palermo, xxii. 1899, p. 316) suggests that the female parasites 

 cling to the edge of the wings of the Mantis by means of their 

 toothed hind femora during the formation of the ootheca, and 

 are thereby brought into a convenient position for attacking the 

 Mantis eggs.* Leigh (Trans. Manchester Ent. Soc. 1912, 

 p. 30) also assumes that Podagrioii is unable to pierce the 



'■'■ I hope at a later date to publish some observatioDs on the construc- 

 tion of the ootheca, which do not support this author's views as to the use 

 of the wings during the process. 



