GO Psyche [April 



and eggs of all Delphacidse contained yeast-like cells very similar 

 to the cells described by Speare in cntworms.* In the adult female 

 Perhinsiella these organisms clustered around certain parts of the 

 ovarian tubes and evidently penetrated the walls and entered the 

 eggs where they could always be found congregated in a round 

 mass at the posterior end of the egg. They appear to be held 

 together by a viscid substance, for under a little pressure they 

 flatten out and return to a sphere when the pressure is released. 

 With greater pressure the ball bursts and the cells are dispersed. 

 After the eggs are laid, this mass becomes reddish, due to minute 

 red bodies ; during development it works up to the anterior end ot 

 the egg and breaks up. Most of the cells appear to be thrown out 

 of the embryo and lie under the egg cap, but a number remain 

 within the embryo and multiply by end-building. After the young 

 leave the egg-shell, the cells remaining within the shell germinate, 

 develop hyphse, and, if the conditions be favorable, fructify in a 

 similar manner to Sorosporella uvella described by Speare. 



All the species of Delphacida? that I examined in Australia con- 

 tained this organism, but in no species of Ciccadellidse could I find 

 any. All species of Hawaiian Delphacidse so far examined con- 

 tain them, and also Siphanta acuta, an introduced Australian 

 fulgorid. 



It appears that this organism is in no way inimical to its host. 

 Perhaps it is beneficial, helping it to digest the starches and sugars 

 which form a large percentage of its food. 



This note is published in the hope that some student of mycology 

 will make further investigations, work out the life history and 

 identify the fungus. 



* Jour. Agri. Research XVIII. 8, 1920, pp. 399-440. 



