October, ’ 18] 
HUTCHINSON: BODY LOUSE FERTILITY 
405 
their powers of reproduction can only be obtained when they are 
provided with full opportunity for feeding. 
The method used in this experiment was practically the same as that 
described by Nuttall as the “wristlet method.” A small pill box was 
used, in the bottom of which was a large opening covered with chiffon. 
There was no opening provided in the top of the box. Thus, when the 
chiffon-covered opening of the bottom of the box was applied to the 
arm, there was little or no opportunity for evaporation and therefore 
the humidity was doubtless higher in this box than in the ones used by 
Nuttall in his experiments. The temperatures inside the box varied 
from about 30° to 35° C. 
At 11.30 a. m., May 1, some infested clothing was taken from a pa¬ 
tient admitted to Charity Hospital, New Orleans, La. From this 
clothing ten females were removed and placed on a small piece of clean 
cloth and kept in an incubator over night. Between 4.00 p. m., May 
1 and 9.00 a. m., May 2, fifteen eggs were laid. Eleven of these were 
attached to the cloth, and were kept in a small glass vial in the incuba¬ 
tor, at temperatures ranging from 30° to 33° C. Nine larvae emerged 
between 4.00 p. m., May 8 and 9.00 a. m., May 9,—an incubation 
period of seven days. 
These larvae were at once placed on a small piece of dark serge cloth 
and put in a pill box as above described. The box was then applied 
to the arm and worn continuously, night and day, except for about one 
hour each morning when examination was made. The first molt oc¬ 
curred before 9.00 a. m., May 12; the second molt, before 9.00 a. m., 
May 14; the final molt, before 9.00 a. m., May 17. There was, there¬ 
fore, a first larval stage lasting three days; a second stage lasting two 
days, and the third stage lasting three days, and a total period from 
emergence to adult of eight days. The period from deposition of the 
eggs to the final molt was fifteen days, and from egg to egg was sixteen 
days. 
One male and one female were isolated from this lot at 9.30 a. m. 
May 17, and placed on a bit of clean cloth in another pill box. This 
was worn on the arm continuously as before. No eggs were laid be¬ 
fore 5.00 p. m. Between 5.00 p. m., May 17 and 9.00 a. m., May 18, 
five eggs were laid. This and subsequent depositions are listed below. 
The eggs, in most instances were laid on the cloth, but occasionally 
were found on the chiffon of the floor or even on the sides of the box. 
