46 
attempts are made before an egg is laid. A strong, healthy moth, 
however, does not often fail to lay. From one to two seconds are 
usualh^ required for each deposition. When possible the body is held 
either with the head up or horizontal when ovipositing, although 
when feeding the body may be turned at almost any angle without 
apparent inconvenience to the moth. 
In order to obtain the foregoing data regarding oviposition on cot- 
ton some 34: moths were followed in the field at dusk, and the portion 
of the plants upon which eggs Avere laid was carefully noted at each 
deposition. Most of these records were made between 7.15 and 8 
o'clock in the evenings during the first week of August. At that time 
the moths were so common that the greatest dilBculty in following 
them was to avoid confusion of the observed moth with others in close 
proximity. 
The appended table gives the individual records of a few of the 
moths, together with the totals for the entire lot of 34 moths. 
Table X. — Distribution of eggs on the different j^arts of the cotton plant. 
Part of plant. 
Lower surface of leaves 
Upper surface of leaves 7 14 
Squares 9 12 
Growingtips 8 4 
Flowers 2 i 11 
Stems 2 1 
Petioles ! 4 
Bolls 7 I 1 
Weeds I 
Objects on ground 
Dead leaves 
Individual records of 11 moths. 
Total eggs laid 
Time observed, in minutes. 
Number of plants visited . . . 
42 i 55 
8 I 8 
60 50 
19 
84 
31 
149 
94 , 139 
23 65 
80 i 120 
Total 
of 34 
moths. 
191 
194 
326 
46 
110 
64 
29 
120 
20 
21 
20 
1,141 
474 
1,175 
Per 
cent. 
16.7 
17.0 
28.5 
4.0 
9.7 
5.6 
2.5 
10.5 
1.7 
1.8 
1.7 
In all, the deposition of 1,141 eggs is recorded upon 1,175 plants. 
The very close^correspondence in numbers might suggest that one egg 
is usually laid to a plant by each moth, but this is not true, as many 
receive none at all and others a considerable number. A total time of 
28,440 seconds was occupied, which gives a probable average of twenty- 
five seconds between two successive depositions, and allows for the ovi- 
position of some 280 eggs each evening during a period of two hours. 
This is not far from the average obtained from observations on moths 
la3dngin confinement. While this may be a good general average, it 
is inapplicable to any special case* on account of the great individual 
variation among different moths. 
Distribution of eggs on cotton. — More eggs are laid upon the squares 
than upon any other part of the plant except the leaves, although only 
28.5 per cent of the entire number are so placed. The fact that 
