164 HICKORY. LEAVES — LITTLE HICKORY APHIS. 



legs into a distinct genus under th^ name Cinara. But we 

 have certain American species inhabiting the leaves of the 

 hickory, oak, and high cranberry, which differ so much both 

 in their form and habits from the general character of these 

 insects, that they will probably be regarded as entitled to 

 the rank of an independent genus. Having the last joint of 

 the antennas shorter than that which precedes it, they would be 

 included in the last section of M. Amyot's arrangement, the type 

 of which is the Jlphis Tilim. But, from specimens of this species 

 received from Dr. Signoret of Paris, and the descriptions given of 

 it byM. Fonscolomb and others, our American insects differ in 

 several important points. Their wings are not elevated in the 

 usual steeply inclined manner but are laid flat upon the back in 

 a horizontal direction; their bodies are stiongly depressed; their 

 nectaries are merely pores without any perceptible elevation, 

 though in one instance, examined when a globule of honey dew 

 was protruding, the end of an exceedingly short cylindrical tube 

 could be discovered with a lens, which tube appeared to be re- 

 tracted and became imperceptible soon after. Their secretion of 

 honey dew appears to be quite limited as compared with other 

 aphides, nor do they extract a sufficient amount of juices from 

 the leaves to cause any very perceptible distention of their flat- 

 tened abdomens. They do not remain fixed to the leaves with 

 their beaks inserted therein, but are wandering over its surface 

 much of the time, nor do they live in societies like other aphides, 

 only a. few being met with upon the same leaf, and these are scat- 

 tered up-m its under side, chiefly along the sides of themidveinJ 

 in the angles where the lateral veins are given off from it. Ants, 

 moreover, are never met with accompanying them. 



These aphides are of a smaller and of a more tender delicate ap- 

 pearance than their kindred. Most of the species are of a pale 

 yellow or white color, with black rings upon their antennae, and 

 their legs and wings are frequently varied with black or brown 

 marks, which are much more clear and distinct than is usual in 

 this family, the species of which, Linnseus well remarks, are diffi- 

 cult to distinguish and more difficult to describe. That which is 



