12 BULLETIN 256, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGEICULTURE. 



if not always, be detected by the extrusion near the base of the ovi- 

 positor of a bilobed translucent, jellylike mass of unknown character, 

 which is visible for several hours. 1 



Specimens in captivity have mated as often as six times in a 

 period of about 120 days. Union of the sexes perhaps occurs less 

 often hi the field. The stridulation note of the male is a short, soft 

 rasp, usually given one, two, or three times in succession. The note 

 is produced by rubbing the short, filelike process, extending diagonally 

 across the under surface of the forewings, over the thin margin of 

 the hind wings. At times it appears to be a sexual call, at other 

 times merely a note of alarm; it is most persistent at night. 



OVIPOSITION. 



Oviposition, which has been observed by the writers many times, 

 has already been described in some detail by Riley. 2 Variations from 

 Riley's account were noted in the orange groves near Lindsay, Cal., 

 as follows: For a period of about 10 seconds the female generally 

 cleanses, or possibly lubricates, the convex edge and tip of the 

 ovipositor with her mouth before the deposition of each egg. The 

 ovipositor is always held firmly between the mandibles from the mo- 

 ment its tip touches the edge of the leaf until the blade is finally with- 

 drawn from the latter. As the ovipositor is forced between the leaf 

 surfaces the two pairs of blades comprising it move slowly back and 

 forth, alternately, over each other with a distinct though slight rotatory 

 motion. The apical third of two of the blades is finely notched, 

 sawlike, along the concave margin, the other pair being similarly 

 notched along the convex margin. At the beginning of oviposition 

 the ovipositor is worked into the leaf for almost its entire length, thus 

 forming a pocket to contain the egg. Without pause the organ is 

 then withdrawn to half its length, and the abdomen begins to expand 

 and contract rhythmically, forcing the egg between the blades of the 

 ovipositor into the cavity in the leaf. The complete operation of 

 depositing one egg requires about four and one-half minutes. 



Rate of oviposition and number of eggs deposited by single females. — 

 A female of Scudderia furcata has been seen to deposit as many as 9 

 eggs in 45 minutes. This high rate of oviposition is not, however, 

 long maintained, and after depositing such a number the female usu- 

 ally ceases to oviposit for from one to four days. Eggs are seldom 

 deposited for more than three days in succession. During the summer 



1 Similar protrusions have been noted following mating in the females of other Locustidec. The writers 

 have observed it on the female of Microcentrum rhombifolium Sauss.; C P. Gillette has seen and described 

 it on Anabrus simplex Haldeman; R. E. Snodgrass has noted the phenomenon in connection with the 

 mating of Peranabrus scabricollis Thomas; and it had previously been observed in Scudderia furcata 

 Brunn. by A. N. Caudell. 



2 Loc. cit. Due to a misidentification the name here used is Scudderia curvicauda. 



