CHERMES ATRATUS. 39 



Kaltenbach infers that the eo*gs are laid in the 

 autumn, and protected by the silky matter.* I have 

 made unavailing search for such eggs in February. 

 But few traces of cotton-like tufts can then be found, 

 and I have uniformly found them empty. 



Ratzeburg at one time thought that two species of 

 Chermes infested the larch ; one of which he named 

 Chermes geniculate, from the stoutness of the knee- 

 joints. Subsequently he believed this to be only a 

 variety, and he discarded the supposed species accord- 

 ingly. 



Passerini has not included C. laricis amongst the 

 Aphides of Italy. The insect is confined to Plnus 

 lariv, and probably it is only to be met with where that 

 tree is indigenous, or where it has been introduced 

 artificially. 



Chermes atratus, Buckton. Plate OXX, figs. 5, 6. 

 Winged female. 



Inch. Millimetres. 



Expanse 0*180 4*57 



Size of body 0*045 X 0*025 1*14x0*63 



Length of antennas 0*010 0*25 



Whole body sooty grey. Head broad ; eyes black 

 and prominent ; prothorax largely developed, with 

 broad lateral swellings ; mesothorax large, with pro- 

 minent lobes, from which the voluminous, greyish, 

 and finely punctured wings spring ; post-thorax 

 moderate in size. Abdomen blunt, fusiform, marked 

 with three or more dark crescentic bands. The 

 head and thorax occupy more than half the length of 

 the whole body. Abdomen sparsely clothed with 

 long white filaments. "Wings grey and dull. Cubitus 

 and insertions dull yellow. Stigma long and dark 

 sooty grey. Antennas with two large basal joints, 

 followed by three other joints, all much imbricated, and 



* Kalt., ' Monogr.,' p. 195. 



