OKLAHOMA ACADEMY OF SCIENCE 79 



were virgin and emerged females while the other part were virsinfi 

 which had heen removed from the pea. Whenever this was done 

 care was taken to secure only those which were active and ready- 

 to emerge. 



Later two other attempts were made with the same stock and 

 gave similar results at 33° C. The results of this experiment would 

 indicate that in-breeding tends to produce sterility or at least 

 greatly reduced ferti'.ity. 



Twenty-two pair were mated and run at 27° C. This tempera- 

 ture was maintained by submerging them in a fruit jar under 

 running water. At this temperature the average length of life was 

 10 days. The mean number of eggs was 49. The average number 

 produced by all females was 4L The largest number produced 

 by any female was 83. Only one female failed to lay. 



The next matings were at 34° C. Seven days was the 

 average length of life. All had died by the eighth day. The larg- 

 est number of eggs produced by a female was 98 while a second 

 gave 9L Four pair out of 22 failed to yie'.d any eggs. The aver- 

 age number was 56. Forty-three was the largest number in one 

 day laid by a female. This female produced 43 the first day, 21 

 the second, 10 the third, 4 the fourth, and six the fifth, a total of 1Z. 

 On the sixth day she had none, and on the following day was 

 dead. A second female gave 39 eggs in a single day. 



Simultaneously with these another lot was run at a tempera- 

 ture of 38° C. This was also virgin hybrid stock obtained from 

 the same lot of the previous experiment. The mean production 

 was 57. Fifty-three was the average number. In this lot egg produc- 

 tion was more uniform than in any preceeding lot. No pair failed 

 to produce. The smallest number produced by any was seven, 

 the largest 76. Eight pair produced from 50 to 60. The average 

 length of life at this temperature was two days shorter than at 

 34° C. Four pair had died by the fifth day, and eight pair lived one 

 day longer, leaving only one pair to survive seven days. Only three 

 pair produced eggs after the fifth day. The average number of 

 this lot was therefore z 1-7 *nore than that at 34° C. At this tem- 

 perature the weevils are very active ^^rl show fight. Metabolism 

 seems to be hastened in every way. 



Nineteen pair were run at 44° C, which is near their tneimai 

 death point. Length of life was from 1 to 2 days. The largest 

 number produced was 4 by one female. One had 3, and 4 had 2. 

 The remainder had none. This was the highest temperature at 

 which the experiment was conducted. 



The final experiment was run at a temperature of 15° C. 



