LUMINOUS SOUTH AFRICAN FULGOBID INSECT. 285 



Fulgorid parasite and host, with its luminosity suggested, and, 

 lastly, the next stage to the metamorphosis being to complete 

 its cocoon. As E. guttata is of a retiring and quiet disposition, 

 it will be interesting to relate how its parasite takes possession 

 of its host. 



About the end of the rainy season (March) she seeks a hole 

 or some other place where she deposits her ova, after which she 

 leaves for the green stalks of the " Amatungulu," behind which, 

 too, she hides, as during pregnancy her body is partly covered 

 with the same material as that which clothes the larvae, and so 

 to hide these she has to look for suitable places. In this position 

 she will remain for days, only altering or moving away on the 

 approach of danger or alarm. I have already alluded to these 

 parasites, who pass their whole life upon her, where her fertile 

 body supplies them with nourishment ; but the question will be 

 asked : How do they find their way there, and what kind of 

 parent is it that makes this provision for its future progeny ? 

 To this solution I have not yet arrived at any definite conclusion, 

 but it may possibly be surmised in reason that the female 

 Fulgorid during pregnancy in some way attracts the lepi- 

 dopterous parent. These parasites, too, at an early age, may 

 find their way up the Fulgorid's legs on to her body. Then 

 there is another remarkable feature which struck me when 

 examining these insects — the number of minute larvae that 

 could be found on one insect, and the impossibility, it would 

 seem, of more than two ever attaining maturity. Was this not 

 an indiscretion on the part of the parent, and quite unusual ? 

 for very likely all these larvae may be out of one brood, but 

 stunted by reason of short rations ! This theory of mine is 

 open to confirmation, of course ; at the same time, of the two 

 suppositions I am inclined to favour this one. Had these 

 Fulgoridce which I had under observation lived long enough, I 

 might have been able to determine their respective ages ; I 

 firmly believe they are some seven or eight weeks before 

 pupating. Another point to consider is, most of these Fulgorids 

 died shortly after capture, and their parasites had followed suit ; 

 so it seems quite clear the parasite has to take its chance. 

 Those insects I examined where the larvae had fastened on 

 showed the parts much bruised, with their covering of white 



