146 Forty-third Report on the State Museum. [50] 



presented three or four times tbe surface of the scale. Within it 

 were contained the numerous eggs of the mother scale insect. 



About the first of July the young lice were developed from these 

 masses and spread themselves over the jar in which the twigs had 

 been placed, appearing as myriads of minute ochreous-yellow atoms; 

 too small to disclose any structure to the unaided eye. These, under 

 natural conditions, would have distributed themselves over the vine 

 and soon have become stationai'y by attaching themselves to the bark 

 by their proboscis, gradually increasing in size until the following 

 summer, when they (the females) would present the appeai-ance of 

 these large scales raised at one end by the cotton-like substance 

 thrown out from beneath. 



The scales attached to the vine, in the examples received were of 

 the usual dark-brown color, while those which occurred upon the 

 leaves, and apparently of the same species, were of a dull yellow- 

 green, approaching in color to that of the surface on which they were 

 placed and on the under side of the leaves only. At the present time 

 these latter, from their peculiar color, can hardly be distinguished 

 from the cotton-like mass beneath them. 



This insect has been thought by some to be one of our many 

 imported pests, as but slight differences have been discovered between 

 the European species known as Pulvinaria vifis, but it is now gen- 

 erally accepted as distinct. It is so great a pest that every pains 

 should be taken to ei-adicate it as soon as its presence is detected. 

 The leaves infested by it should be plucked and destroyed, and all 

 the scales scraped from the vines whenever they are observed. In 

 the very young stage of the insect (occurring at the present time — 

 the first week in July) the greater part of the new brpod can be killed 

 by going over the infested portions of the vine with a stiff, ihickly set, 

 bristle brush, as in their early state they are quite tender and can be 

 easily crushed. Spraying with a weak solution of carbolic acid, 

 before the young are protected by their scales, would also destroy 

 them. A strong soap solution is often sufficient for killing them at 

 this stage. Later, when the scale has become fully formed and 

 fastened to the vine, it would be necessary to use the kerosene 

 emulsion or a strong alkaline wash. 



Bibliograpliy. 



In a notice of this insect communicated to the Country Gentleman 



for July 5, 1883, most of which has been included in this article, 



some of its literature is given. As possibly affording some facilities 



for reference, it is presented here, without addition of omissions or of 



