CLOVER AND ALFALFA SEED CHALCIS-FLY. 9 
Mr. Kelly reported adults of B. funebris active and ovipositing in 
alfalfa seed pods at Wellington, Kans., by June 10, 1911. 
OVIPOSITION. 
The adults of Bruchophagus funebris appearing in early spring 
are not always able to locate developing seeds of their host plants at 
the time of their emergence, and it may be three or four weeks be- 
fore an opportunity for oviposition is found. In midsummer ovi- 
position takes place within a few days after the adult emerges. 
Green and half -grown seed pods are favored for oviposition. The 
female adult takes a position directly over the slight enlargement on 
the pod caused by the developing seed. The ovipositor is forced 
through the green seed pod and into the soft watery seed, where the 
egg is placed. The time required for oviposition is about one 
minute. 
POSITION OF EGG. 
The egg is usually placed just beneath the inner integument of 
the seed, sometimes" between the cotyledons, and frequently within 
the semiliquid contents of a cotyledon. It is placed singly, although 
oviposition into the same seed may be repeated. The mark left by 
oviposition may sometimes be seen in the form of a very minute 
spot on the surface of the seed, but this is usually not discernible 
even with the aid of a microscope. The relative position of the 
seeds in a pod in no way seems to influence the chances of infesta- 
tion. 
EGG STAGE. 
Observations made during the month of April at Pasadena, Calif., 
showed the period of incubation as requiring from 7 to 12 days. 
In the month of June the incubation period was found to be about 
five days. E. L. Barrett, assisting the writer, found eggs of B. 
funebris hatching in four days during very warm weather. 
LARVAL STAGE. 
The larva, upon hatching from the egg^ finds itself surrounded 
with the soft contents of the growing seed. The first feeding takes 
place after the larva is one or two days old, and in midsummer 
rapid growth follows. The larva of B. funebris never leaves the 
seed in which it is developing to infest another seed in the same 
pod. Where two or more larvae chance to be in the same seed, one 
or both usually perish before development is completed. Molts, 
apparently, occur indefinitely in the larval stage, and appear to 
be the peeling off, in small fragments, of the old larval skin. The 
136601°— 20— Bull. 812 2 
