328 Proceedings of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. [Sess. 
May 27. 6 males and 6 females put in cage with several Hylobius grubs 
in five pieces of bark. 
June 12. 2 pieces of bark examined showed they contained weevil grubs 
attacked by second-stage Braconid larvae. 
„ 14. These larvae in the third stage. 
„ 24. Larvae of both broods mentioned above spun up. 
August 13. 4 batches of Bracon cocoons ; 2 Hylobius pupae. Of one batch of 
cocoons, two cocoons had yielded adults ; in another batch, 
one cocoon was empty ; the others were intact and contained 
pupae. Unfortunately, they were damaged in removal. 
Summary of Laboratory Experiments. 
The laboratory and roof experiments have provided the material for 
the description of the structure of the egg, larva, pupa, and cocoon of 
the Bracon. They have also afforded opportunity for observations, and in 
the third series for the checking and confirming of my first observations. 
They show that at least three broods may be reared in the laboratory during 
the summer. During the whole of my experiments I have observed no 
hyper-parasitism . 
Field Observations. 
Since my discovery of this Bracon in 1 9 1 1 , 1 have taken every opportunity 
of observing it in the field. The habitat of Bracon, as already mentioned, 
precludes regular and systematic observation of its habit, but by examining 
suitable areas in different localities I have endeavoured to obtain some 
knowledge of its life-history in the field. With two exceptions, adults 
have never been caught in the open. 
The methods adopted in looking for Bracon material were as follows : — 
All recently felled areas — that is, of woods felled during the past four years 
— in the locality were examined. The stumps were barked and also the 
roots, and a careful look-out kept for Bracon cocoons and weevil grubs. 
The most useful tools for making this examination were found to be : 
a small gardener’s spade for clearing away soil and heathy turf, a fern 
trowel such as is used by botanists, and a chisel for barking the stumps. 
In examining a stump the blade of the trowel was inserted between 
the wood and the bark and the bark prised off. In this way the whole 
of the stumps were barked. The roots were then barked in the same way, 
after having been laid bare of soil by the spade. The chisel was useful 
for removing pieces of bark not accessible to the trowel. The bark so 
removed was carefully examined, then the wood of the stump itself and 
the soil surrounding. 
