59 



Table XIII. — Age of beginning oviposztion. 



WEEVILS OF FIRST GENERATION, 1903. 



Date adult. 



Date of first egg. 



Number 

 of fe- 

 males. 



Elapsed 

 time. 



Weevil 

 days. 



1903. 



1903. 

 June 17 to 18 



3 



1 

 7 

 1 

 2 

 4 

 5 

 4 



Days. 

 9.0 

 9.0 

 5.0 

 4.0 

 7.0 

 5.0 

 5.0 

 4.0 



27.0 





June 19 



9.0 





June 16 



135.0 





. .do... 



4.0 



Do 



June 19. . 



14.0 





June 18 



20.0 



June 13 to 14 



do 



25.0 



June 14 



do 



16.0 



Total .:•_ 



27 





150.0 









5.5+ 













WEEVILS BRED IN FALL OF 1902. 



1902. 

 September 4 to 5 .. .. ... . 



1902. 



September 17 



September 16 



3 

 5 

 4 



7 

 3 



12.5 



7.0 



14.0 



7.0 

 8.0 



37.5 





35.0 





56.0 



November 9 to 10 ... -. 



November 16 to 17. .. 

 November 19 



49.0 





24.0 







Total 



22 





201.5 







9.0+ 





._ 





The average time of 5.5 days, as shown b}^ the first generation, is 

 probably about a day and a half longer than the minimum average 

 period during the hottest weather, while the 9-day average found from 

 September -1 to November 11 is considerably short of the maximum 

 average just before hibernation. 



EXAMINATION OF SQUARES BEFORE OVIPOSITION. 



In the course of a great many observations upon oviposition it 

 was found that females almost invariably examine a square quite 

 carefully before they will begin a puncture for egg deposition. This 

 examination is conducted entirely by means of senses located in the 

 antennse and not at all by sight. In fact, the sense of sight appears 

 to be of comparatively small use to the weevil. 



In regard to the actual time spent in the work of examination before 

 beginning a puncture 60 observations were recorded. These show 

 that the average time is over two minutes. 



This examination of squares is made by females only when they 

 intend to oviposit. Males have never been observed acting in this 

 way, nor do females generally do so when their only object is to feed. 



SELECTION OF UNINFESTED SQUARES FOR OVIPOSITION. 



So unerring is the sense by which examination is made that in a 

 few cases it was able to discover an infested condition no external sign 

 of which was visible to the writer's eye. A female which was under 

 close observation examined the square given her in the usual manner, 

 but though evidently searching for a place to oviposit and anxious to 



