36 FOREST ENTOMOLOGY. 



the same tree. Hence it may be concluded that the life-history of 

 some " locally " resident species is more or less involved in obscurity. 

 Consequently the following remarks are appended from an authority 

 on economic entomology. Mv French says : — 



" With regard to the life-history of these singular little animals, 

 Mr Crawford gives it as his opinion that there are two ways in which 

 the mite survives the winter, when all leaves are shed : first, by 

 hibernating among the hairs of, and in, the leaf-bud; and secondly, 

 by forming colonies under the tender bark of the last year's growths, 

 as I have found them in both situations. It may be the eggs are laid 

 in the buds, as very young leaves, when still unfolding, have often 

 very small galls, which are then of a pink colour. I expect, there- 

 fore, that the majority of the mites quit the leaves on the approach 

 of their fall, to take up their winter quarters in these places. The 

 mites that fall with the leaves would soon die, but their eggs might 

 be blown about Avith the decayed leaves, and by chance alighting on 

 pear-trees, colonise them. The wind, birds, and insects are doubtless 

 the principal means of disseminating this pest in the summer time. 

 The number of living Phytopti on an ordinary-sized pear-tree that 

 is badly attacked must amount to thousands, if not millions, so that, 

 allowing for a most lavish waste of life, the chances of a few being 

 carried alive to other peav - trees in the neighbourhood must be 

 considerable." ^ 



References to Literahire consulted. 



Colliuge. Black-Curraut Gall-Mite. 1904. 

 1907. 

 Conuold. British Vegetable Galls. 1901. 

 Frank. Die Kraukheiten der Pflanzen, Bd. iii. 1896. 

 French. Insects of Victoria. 1891. 

 Murray. Economic Entomology — Aptera. 

 Nalepa. Phytopti — Genera uud Species. 



Das Tierreich. 1898. 

 Newstead. The Currant-Bud Mite. 1901. 

 Reaumur. Memoires des Insectes. 1732. 

 Tubeuf. Diseases of Plants, &c, 1897. 



Insects of Victoria. 1891. 



