NATUBAL E2STEMIES: PARASITIC INSECTS. 141 
From the records from localities in the environs of Washington, 
(College Park, Riverdale, Arundel, Md., and Arlington, Alexandria, 
and East Falls Church, Va.) it would appear that the insect is out 
ovipositing nearly coincident with the period of oviposition of its 
host, namely, May 3 (Riverdale, Md.) to August 12 (East Falls Church, 
Va.). Hearings have been made from eggs in various fruits, including 
wild and cultivated plum, and it is probable that the parasite will 
search out eggs in any fruit used by the curculio for e^g laying. 
In its distribution the Anaphoidea is seen to range pretty well over 
the Eastern States, and rearings from Ardmore, Okla., indicate its 
occurrence in the Southwestern States. The insect probably follows 
its host, though no data of note are at hand as to its distribution in the 
Mississippi Valley and Middle-Western States. 
In several instances it was possible to determine the percentage of 
parasitism of the eggs. Thus, in a lot of eggs from Arundel, Md., in 
plums collected from trees May 9, 62.8 per cent yielded adults of the 
Anaphoidea. In another lot from the same locality, on the same 
date and host, the parasitism amounted to 70.76 per cent. A lot 
from Berlin, Conn., in plum, gave about 85 per cent parasitism. 
At Myrtle, Ga., eggs in wild plum collected May 16 gave 10 per cent, 
and another lot taken May 1 gave 16.6 per cent parasitized. From 
Bemiings, D. C, a lot of eggs in plum taken May 31 gave 12.2 per cent 
parasitized. 
Of 36 eggs collected at Barnesville, Ga., May 17, 36.11 per cent 
gave out adult parasites. In a lot of 28 eggs collected May 19 the 
percentage was 46.43, and of 97 eggs collected May 26 the percentage 
producing adult parasites was 56.70. In these three lots, if account be 
taken only of the eggs which either hatched or gave out adult parasites, 
the proportions parasitized would be 46.43 per cent, 76.47 per cent, and 
91.66 per cent. Five eggs hi these lots produced two parasites each. 
Certain observations on the habits and biology of the Anaphoidea 
parasites, made by Mr. Girault, are of interest, especially in view of 
the paucity of our knowledge concerning these minute creatures. 
Parasitized eggs were found to maintain their normal pale white 
color until within two days of the emergence of the parasite, at which 
time or a little later the large reddish eyes and the three reddish ocelli 
between them become evident and the general outline of the parasite 
becomes discernible. Gradually the parasite becomes dusky and a 
lew hours before emergence almost entirely black. The time required 
for the development of Anaphoidea from egg to adult varied from 
9 to 11 days, averaging approximately 10 days. Thus during the 6 
to S weeks of egg laying o{ the curcidio there would be time for six or 
seven generations of the parasite. 
Oviposition was observed several times. In a typical instance, 
the female carefully examined the egg puncture, which was two days 
old; the long flexible antennae moved alternately up and down very 
