8 BULLETIN 918, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
deposited on different parts of the plants, the results of which are 
given in Table III. 
Table III 
. — Location on the cotton 
plant of the eggs 
of P. gossypiella 
Number and location of eggs. 
Total 
Number of plants 
examined. 
Leaves. 
Stems. 
Buds. 
Squares. 
Bolls. 
number 
of eggs 
on 
Bracts. 
Base. 
Tip. 
plant. 
' 7 
32 
21 
94 
31 
20 
22 
6 
6 
36 
36 
24 
16 
15 
45 
107 
34 
66 
37 
56 
17 
1 
3 

2 
3 
1 
3 
8 
11 
74 
54 
78 
93 
2 
81 
108 
87 
53 
49 
55 
39 

3 

1 
1 
2 

148 
270 
253 
315 
223 
243 
98 
Total (7 plants). 
Per cent 
227 
14.7 
139 
9.0 
362 
23.4 
13 
0.8 
320 
20.7 
472 
30.5 
7 
0.5 
1,549 
It is clearly seen that the boll is the most favored place, 51.7 
per cent of the entire number of eggs being deposited on the boll 
and its appendages. The small leaf buds were second with 23.4 
per cent, the leaves third with 14.7 per cent, the stems fourth with 
9 per cent, and the squares fifth with only 0.8 per cent. It is further 
seen from this table that the base of the boll is frequently selected, 
as 30.5 per cent of the eggs were deposited there and only 0.5 per 
cent were deposited in the sutures at the tip of the boll. The 
position of the eggs upon the plant is important, for upon it largely 
depends the fate of the young larvae. It is essential that the larvae 
reach the squares or bolls to feed, as no larvae were ever found which 
had developed beyond the second instar on other parts of the plant. 
It is a mistaken instinct of the moths to oviposit in other parts of 
the plant, as it is evident that a much larger proportion of the larvae 
hatching from eggs laid in close proximity to the food will reach it 
than of those that have to crawl over the plant exposed to their 
natural enemies in search of food. 
When laid on the leaves, buds, stems, and squares the eggs are 
usually placed singly or in small groups of from 5 to 10. When 
laid on the tip of the boll they are placed singly or in small groups 
in the sutures. In this position the eggs are often flattened or 
crushed by the growing of the boll. When laid at the base of the 
boll they are placed between the calyx and the boll or beneath the 
bracts around the base of the boll, and are usually in masses of 
from a few to as many as 75 to 100, which are overlapped and 
flattened out more or less shingle fashion. The flattened appear- 
ance in this case is due to the presence of the calyx and not to the 
natural shape of the egg. In these masses, eggs of all stages of 
development, as well as shells, are found, showing that they were 
not all deposited at one time by a single female. 
