PUTNAM ON PULVINARIA INNUMERABILI8. 325 



of the integument, but mostly in the dorsal and epistemal regions. The 

 legs and antennae remain of the same size as in the fall, being rendered 

 almost entirely useless by the great increase in the bulk of the insect. 

 The female is however able to crawl about without ditticuliy for a less or 

 greater period during the spring, as I have frequently observed them do 

 so. The eyes are still present, but considerably obscured by the dark 

 markings around them.* The females reach tlieir greatest size about 

 the middle of May, soon after which time they begin to lay their eggs. 



At this period (tigs. 39, 4 >) the female is elliptical, quite convex dor- 

 sally, with a low rounded carina; pale greenish or whitish yellow, 

 marked with black or dark brown after the same general pattern as in 

 the previous August, the yellow color again predominating causing the 

 whole to appear light brown instead of dark brown as in the winter ; be- 

 neath whitish ; length 4 """» to 6 mm, breadth 3 '"•" to 4i '»'", height t '»'" to 

 ]| mm. The resemblance in form, color, and markings to a turtle is very 

 striking and has been often remarked by popular writers. 



During this period of rapid growth the female necessarily absorbs a 

 large quantity of sap, and in addition to what she uses, she seems to have 

 some to spare. Tlie leaves of every affected tree and the objects on the 

 ground beneath become covered during this time with a sweetish liquid 

 or honey dew. This forms a great attraction to various honey-loving 

 insects, — ants, flies, bees etc. This honey-dew is really the exciement 

 of the female and has its origin as follows : A clear liquid issues from 

 the anus dorsally, between the anal valves, until it forms a spherical 

 globule about one millimeter in diameter (tig. 39, 6j when it is suddenly 

 thrown off, as if squirted with some force, to a distance of .'> mm to 

 10 mm. This is probably accomplished by the muscles surrounding the 

 anus or by the contraction of the rectum itself. f 



CONTENTS OF THE OVARIES. 



Before proceeding to describe the formation of the eggs it will be ne- 

 cessary to make some preliminary remarks on the contents of the 

 ovaries. 



On cutting open a female any time between October and the following 

 May five different classes of bodies are set free. The normal location of 

 these bodies was not very apparent in my dissections owing to the rough 

 manner of their execution. But as some of them appear to be closely 

 connected with the generation of the ova, it is proper that they should 

 be here described. They are :— 



First. A clear transparent liquid. Probably protoplasm, or food in 

 process of conversion into protoplasm, — equivalent to the blood of higher 

 animals. This appears to unite readily with water, etc. 



Second. Clear spherical globules from 10 // to 30 // in diameter, having 



*Thi8 has caused Miss Smith to state that they are absent. Her description of the female 

 refers to the most advanced period of gestation and not to the normal female. 



tMiss Smith's supposition that the honey-dew is derived ftom the egg-nest, or from the 

 same material which forms the egg nest, Is certainly incorrect. I have also observed no indi- 

 cations that it issues from punctures in the bark. 



[Proc. D. A. N. S., Vol. II.] 43 [Dec. 1879.] 



