304 Report of the Department op Entomology of the 



tony fibres loosely woven together. This first covering is very 

 delicate and can be easily removed. The scales under obser- 

 vation showed a variation in the time of the first appearance of 

 the white secretion of from 6 to 24 hours, but in all cases when 

 the young scales were kept in a warm room or the insectary this 

 stage was reached v>'ithin 24 hours after the larvae had settled 

 down. The secretion of the filaments is normally quite rapid, as 

 the larvae were usually completely covered with them within six 

 or eight hours after they first appeared. Plate TvLVIII, Fig. 2. 



The tufted stage. — At the beginning of this stage a denser layer 

 of waxy threads is seen projecting from beneath the looise threads 

 over the margin of the body. This is the true scale. As the 

 insect increases in size this portion of the scale is enlarged. The 

 loose v/hite filaments form a central tuft which in many cases 

 becomes three or four times the diameter of the scale, as shown 

 at Plate XLVIII, Fig. 3. The true scale soon begins to turn dark 

 passing through several shades of dirty gray until it becomes 

 nearly black. The tuft grows smaller slowly, probably weather- 

 ing away, until it finally disappears, leaving a crater-like depres- 

 sion at the apex of the scale. Plate XLVIII, Fig, 4 and Plate 

 XLIX, Fig, 4; the small scale on the left. 



The 'blade stage. — This stage is characterized by the dull black 

 color of the scale and usually at first by the crater-like depression 

 at or near its apex, which is later filled by the nipple. It begins 

 when the white tuft has disappeared. During this stage the scale 

 becomes thicker and its texture is more compact than at any 

 previous time. In the latitude of New York State the insect 

 hibernates in this stage, hence its duration varies greatly with 

 the time of year. Plate XLVIII, Fig. 5. 



The mature stage. — As the insect grows the scale is enlarged 

 by the secretion of the white waxy fibres which may often be 

 seen projecting from beneath the scale as shown at Plate XLVIII, 

 Fig. 6. This white mass soon turns dark, usually a dull dirty 

 gra}', and forms a large part of the scale. The mature scale is 

 characterized by its comparatively large size, the prominent, 

 usually central, nipple and the light-yellowish areas caused by 



