Reports to the Board of . Igrici/ifitre. 171 



their bodies, and then soon cast their skin. As in all this ^ronp of 

 insects, they lose their le^s and antennip, and become apodal 

 females. These females are minnte yellow egg-shaped masses which 

 become covered with a dense matting of white wool. 



This wool is soon removed by rains, but is ra])idly formed again. 

 A correspondent writing from Yorkshire evidently noticed this 

 feature, for he says, "The extraordinary heavy rains of the last few 

 days have killed the creatures." 



I^his insect mainly attacks the trunk, Init may ascend into the 

 boughs. Specimens of it on small boughs have recently been 

 received from Surrey. The trunks, however, are mainly affected. 

 A specimen sent to the Museum by Mr. E. Burdon, of the Castle, 

 Castle Eden, Durham, has the thick incrustation of this pest all over 

 it. Mr. Burdon, as previously reported (First Report, p. 39), 

 mentions a previous outbreak of this pest in Northumberland some 

 fifty years ago, during which a lot of fine beeches were lost. 



Another correspondent also records the loss of a beecli in 

 Gloucestershire (p. 39), and points out that the trees at Longwillow 

 Hall, Morpeth, are attacked on the east side. This hns Ijeen generally 

 noticed. 



I find a note in the Journal of the Land Agents' Society, no. H, 

 vol. ii., 1903, p. 167, to the following effect : — "I observed the above 

 (Blight on Beech Trees) on some trees, so 1 wrote to j\[r. AVarburton, 

 the entomologist of the Boyal Agricultural Society, and he tells me 

 it is 'a special beech scale called Crijpioooei'vs farji . . .' It is to be 

 found everywhere, but never makes any headway unless the tree is 

 dying from other causes. In fact, it seems to be a symptom, and 

 not a cause of ill-health, and clearing off the scale has no very 

 mnrked effect in improving the tree. — (F. K)" Tliis is obviously 

 wrong, as any one who is acquainted with this disease knows. Again, 

 in the same paper an anonymous writer, " C," states tlnit " the scale 

 shoots off wet and rain, and prevents any curative wash or spvsiy being 

 used with any effect." This again is wrong, for it is speedily cleared 

 by paraffin emulsion, or better still, caustic alkali wash and soft soa]> 

 in winter. A heavy spraying with either kills the pest ; the soft soap 

 sticks the wash to the insect debris just as it does to "Woolly Aphis 

 or other Dolphins. 



This coccus occurs in greatest numbers on light soil, and inrroases 

 most rapidly as in all scales and Aphides in dry weather. Xover- 

 theless perfectly healthy trees are attacked on heavy soils and killed 

 by this pest. 



Observntions of such .'killed foresters as Mr. A. T. Gillnnders 



