12 PARASITES OF THE COTT6E BOLL WEEVIL. 



fcoiy force. Messrs. Hinds, Bishop]). Crawford. Cushman, Jones, 

 Morgan, Pratt, and Mothers were engaged at various times in the 

 collection of infested material and the more important work of 

 examination. Upon their accuracy of observation the finding of 

 the parasites was dependent, and to them belongs credit for the 

 amount of figures herewith presented relating to the percentage of 

 parasitism. A careful tabulated record was kept of all stages of 

 the weevil, alive or dead, and all parasites were isolated in tubes. 

 Each collecting lot received a number and each individual a sub- 

 number, and its stage and the nature of its parasitism were recorded. 

 As each parasite matured the record was placed opposite its number, 

 and the insect was either used in experiments or laid aside for the 

 collection. In this manner there could seldom be an error as to the 

 nature of the parasitism, as all evidence was in the tube. 



RECORDS PRIOR TO 1906. 



In previous years no regular method of making the parasite rec- 

 ords was in use, and consequently there is difficulty in the comparison 

 of the former conditions with those now prevalent. In some cases 

 the percentage was obtained from the breeding records only, and 

 at other times by an examination for the total number of stages 

 present. 



In 1902 three observations were made between July 31 and August 

 11 at Calvert, Guadalupe, and Victoria. The figures obtained 

 included only bred stages, omitting consideration of stages killed bj 

 heat, fungi, ants, crushing, etc. 



In 1903 Dr. A. W. Morrill first pointed out in his notes that para- 

 sites occur in dry hanging forms, and also in bolls. No other 

 mention of the former condition can be foimd prior to 1906. Only 

 two observations were made, both being at Victoria, in June. 



In 1905 four examinations of bolls were made during March, at 

 Calvert, Palestine, Kunge, and Victoria, in order to ascertain the 

 condition of hibernating stages. These examinations consider the 

 total number of stages found hibernating in the bolls. The figures 

 are important, as they prove that the parasites also hibernate in bolls. 



During August of the same year nine examinations were made at 

 Gurley, Quinlan, Victoria, and Waco. These figures were obtained 

 from fallen forms and included the total number of stages in the 

 forms. 



In 1902 and 1903 the figures obtained must give a higher per- 

 centage of parasitism than actually occurred, as no account was taken 

 <>f the stages dead from other causes. It is also very unsatisfactory 

 to take the entire percentage of parasitism hi all forms on account 



"The term "forms" has been used to designate a mixture of squares and bolls. 



