88 



Taking equal periods as near together as possible and using these 

 same weevils, there were deposited in 13 d'ctjs upon a few squares 

 144 eggs, or 2.74 eggs per female dail}^, while during the following 13 

 da3^s, with an abundance of squares, they each deposited 4.54 eggs 

 a day. 



These figures are the more striking because the stimulation was 

 plainly shown in spite of the general tendency to lay fewer eggs as the 

 weevils grow older and as the average temperature becomes lower. 



RELATION OF WARTS TO OVIPOSITION. 



When the general relation of the warts to the formation of egg 

 punctures was first recognized, an investigation was undertaken to 

 determine, if possible, in what proportion of cases the warts could be 

 traced directly to egg or feeding punctures. For this purpose a large 

 number of squares, most of which had warts, was picked from plants 

 in the field and carefull}^ examined in the laboratory. Notes were 

 made especially upon the following points: The number of warts, the 

 number of punctures obviousl}^ made for feeding onlj^, the number 

 of special egg punctures, and the numbers of eggs, larvse, and pupae 

 found. Only those excrescences were counted as warts which showed 

 a positive elevation, and, as was expected, many eggs were found which 

 had not been deposited long enough for a wart to have formed. Out 

 of the 105 squares examined, 26 showed no warts, while the remaining 

 79 squares had 92 warts. In tracing the connection of these 92 warts 

 with weevil attack it was found that 77 at least, or almost 84 per cent 

 of the total, resulted from egg punctures. The other 15 warts, or 16 

 per cent, were assigned to feeding punctures, though some of these 

 may possibly have been egg punctures in which decay had concealed 

 all trace of the eggs or small larvae. One-half of the eggs found were 

 in punctures closed by developed warts, and it is likely that most of 

 the other half were of too recent deposition for warts to have formed. 

 Three-fourths of the larvae found in this lot were in punctures which 

 had been overgrown by warts. 



In another series of 35 older squares, 38 warts and 32 eggs, larvae, 

 and pupffi were found. This series also shows that at least 84 per cent 

 of the warts resulted from egg punctures. The conclusion seems jus- 

 tified, therefore, that warts may be considered as the most conspicu- 

 ous external indication of the presence of the vvxevil in some stage 

 within the square. 



It should be noted in connection with warts that feeding frequently, 

 and oviposition somewhat more rarely, is followed by a peculiar gel- 

 atinization of the injured portion of the square. This condition spreads, 

 and the change produces a considerable internal pressure, so that the 

 square becomes distorted and bulges, especially at the place where the 

 puncture was made. The bulging portion often resembles somewhat 



