LARVAL HABITS OF THE TIGER BEETLES. 161 



They copulated some time during three or four days following their capture 

 and the first eggs were found April 26th. There appear to be no special 

 courting movements ; a male quickly seizes a female by the thorax with his 

 heavy mandibles and rests with the ventral side of his body against the dorsal 

 side of the female, his legs extended freely at the sides. He may remain in 

 position for a long time and finally succeed in copulating with the female. 

 If, because of being disturbed, he leaves her, he has been known to return to 

 the same one to the exclusion of other females that were present. Some days 

 after fertilization (the length of time is difficult to determine because of the 

 continued copulation or attempts at copulation on the part of the male) the- 

 female seeks a place to lay her eggs. She holds the anterior part of the body' 

 as high as possible and, extending the posterior part of the abdomen 

 (ovipositor), she digs a vertical hole with the gonapophyses of the abdomen,, 

 from 7 to 9 mm. in depth. She tries the soil by making holes without 

 laying any eggs. About fifty eggs are laid, singly and large end uppermost 

 (PI. 23. fig. 4), in such uncovered holes by one female. Whether or not 

 more than one lot of eggs is laid by one female has not been definitely 

 determined, but it is quite improbable from all evidence at hand. 



The method of egg-laying is essentially like that found in C. campestris by 

 Enock and in C. flexuosa by Ponselle. 



The Egg. — The egg is shaped like' a hen's egg but somewhat more 

 elongated; 2 mm. long, 1 mm. in diameter at the small end and 1^- mm, at 

 the large end. It is of a clear, translucent cream-colour and slightly shiny ;. 

 the chorion is very easily ruptured (PL 23. figs. 5 & 6). 



About two weeks after the eggs were laid, small larvse appeared (May 8,. 

 9 and 10 in 1904). Those in the dryer parts of the soil appeared only after 

 the soil had been moistened. 



First Larval Stage. — The larva at hatching is much like the later stages 

 (PI. 23. fig. 7). The abdomen is much wrinkled between the more strongly 

 chitinized plates, bringing them into close contact. The width of the pro- 

 thorax is Ig- mm. Soon after hatching, the larva makes its way to the surface, 

 packing the soil so as to form a cylindrical burrow with a diameter a little 

 greater than that of its prothorax. This burrow corresponds in position to 

 the hole made by the ovipositor and at first is no deeper. The larva soon 

 digs to a depth of 10 to 15 cm. 



After feeding for three to four weeks (fig. 8), the larva closes the mouth 

 of the burrow with soil and goes to the bottom and moults, returning again 

 to the surface at the end of from five to seven days. 



Second Larval Stage. — The head, prothorax, appendages and strongly 

 chitinized plates are larger (fig. 9) ; the size of the abdomen is essentially the 

 same as just before moulting but the cuticula is again wrinkled. The larva 

 makes its way to the surface probably by removing the soil from above, thus 

 enlarging the hole and allowing the loosened earth to fall to the bottom. 



