Twelfth Report op the State Entomologist 287 



amount of harm resulting from the puncturing of twigs for food is not 

 known. The oviposition is largely in forest trees — in oaks, hickory and 

 chestnut. Among cultivated trees the peach, apple and cherry suffer 

 the greatest injury. The eggs may be found in almost all trees and 

 shrubs, excepting those of the pine family; they are occasionally placed 

 in cedar twigs. In 1S94, the period of oviposition extended from about 

 the lirst week in June to near the middle of July, but most of the eggs were 

 probably deposited during the last ten days in June and early in July, 

 The injury to the trees appeared to be mainly mechanical, resulting from 

 the numerous slits in the twigs, forming almost continuous lines, pierced 

 for the reception of the eggs. The damage to large trees, as a rule, was 

 not serious, although some broken twigs and dead leaves gave them an 

 unsightly appearance. Young trees were injured the most, and in some 

 cases they were nearly ruined. 



The reports received from various localities in 1894 concerning the 

 injury wrought by this insect varied widely in character. In a number 

 of places little or no damage was reported. At New Windsor, where it 

 occurred in great abundance. Miss Morton reported that many limbs of 

 small trees were killed, and in a few instances very little was left of the 

 tree. Mr. H. D. Lewis is authority for the statement that at Annan- 

 dale, thousands of thrifty young trees were virtually ruined by this insect. 

 That this would naturally be the result of excessive oviposition, will 

 appear from the following: 



At Hillsdale, N. Y., in a twig nine inches long and one-fourth of an 

 inch in diameter at its larger end, seventy slits were counted, — each slit 

 containing about twenty-four eggs, or 1680 for the entire number. The 

 Cicadas injured young hickories so greatly at Highland Falls as to render 

 them unfit for hoop poles. In some localities the woods were said to 

 appear as if fire had run through them. As a general rule, however, the 

 damage by this insect was not great. Young trees undoubtedly suffered 

 greatly in localities whei'e the insect abounded, and the larger ones were 

 severely pruned, but in most of the latter, the injury was more in appear- 

 ance than in reality, — the pruning not proving very injurious, although 

 at the time the dead leaves gave an impression of permanent harm. 



Serious Results Reported From Cicada Stings. 



Stories of the injurious and deadly character of the sting by this insect 



were widely circulated and firmly believed by many. A boy at West 



Point, George Pavek, was reported to have been bitten June 19th on the 



hands and face and to have died in a few hours, — medical aid proving 



