342 JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY [Vol. 4 



it. The ovipositor consists of a basal pair of plates joined along their 

 inner edges and forming a sheath for the two cutting blades which are 

 serrated on the outer edges, and adapted for cutting the leaf tissues, 

 preparatory to the deposition of the egg. 



Here in the Santa Clara Valley the adults hibernate only for a short 

 period, depending upon the severity of the winter. They hibernate 

 about the food plant under fallen leaves, under sticks, clods, stones, 

 etc., and in secluded places on the trees such as curled leaves and 

 cracks in the bark. They are not active upon the tree until about the 

 middle of February. They then come out in considerable numbers 

 and feed, usually in pairs, upon the under surface of the leaf. This 

 year (1910) the first appearance of the adult was February 16. It is 

 particularly interesting to note that this insect always feeds on the 

 under surface of the leaf. Adults placed on the upper surface always 

 move to the under surface im nediately. The adults very seldom fly, 

 and hardly ever leave a small branch on which they are feeding. They 

 usually attack that portion of a tree most exposed to sunlight and are 

 particularly common on the young new shoots about the base of the 

 tree. 



Broods. There are several broods in a year though it has not been 

 determined whether the number is definite or whether it varies, 

 according to climatic conditions. Under normal conditions here in 

 the Santa Clara Valley the average life cycle is passed in about seventy- 

 eight days. As the period of activity lasts about eight months, it 

 seems very probably that there are but three broods a year. The 

 greatest activity is in the summer months. By the first of November 

 this year (1910) egg-laying had ceased, and at present (December) 

 very few nymphs can be found while most of the adults have either 

 died or hibernated. 



A record was kept on several groups of nymphs to determine the 

 duration of each stage. The average results were as follows: 



Time elapsed between hatching of 



Egg to 1st moult 8 days. 



1st moult to 2d moult 6 days. 



"2d moult to 3d moult 7 days. 



3d moult to 4th moult 7 days. 



4th moult to 5th moult 11 days. 



Injuries. As before stated the damage to the bush is considerable, 

 but seems never fatal. About the university, probably much more 

 damage to this bush results indirectly from the attack of the tingis, 

 for a black smut or fungus {Capnodium heteromeles) , the spores of 

 which readily grow in the honey-dew excreted in large quantities by 



