Homopterous insect from Ceylon. 331 



showing themselves. I have been resident here for 

 more than thirty years, and, until I noticed these tubes 

 lately, I had only met with two siDecimens." 



"PS., 19th August. — Yesterday morning I discovered 

 some newly-hatched larvse of the Ayhroi^hora on the tip 

 of a small tulip tree. They could not have been long 

 out of the egg, little tiny creatures of an orange colour, 

 and in the midst of a spot of froth. I could see them 

 moving about in it. I find that the tube is beginning to 

 be formed. I am now convinced that it is commenced 

 and finished by the little creature itself while in the 

 larval state ; the walls of the tube were commencing to 

 rise, enclosing a space of sufficient size to contain the 

 larva in a perpendicular position, but it must be a close 

 fit by the time they are ready to assume the perfect 

 state. At present they are in a horizontal position, and 

 must by working about form the foundation of their 

 cells as the froth becomes congealed. There are five or 

 six of these young larvae close together on the tip of a 

 twig which is sending out leaves. One tiny larva is 

 moving about with no froth about it, and with quite a 

 dry skin. You will notice that the cases have a ringed 

 appearance ; this is probably caused by the semicircular 

 motion of the anus of the larvae, which is crushed 

 against the interior of the tube sometimes above and 

 sometimes below. I do not believe that the insect does 

 any injury to the tree, or even to the branch it 

 feeds on." 



The full-sized larva-tubes are about half an inch long 

 and about a line in diameter. They are about the 

 thickness of writing-paper, of a dirty whitish colour, 

 with the surface finely transversely wrinkled. The basal 

 portion is dilated and curved so as partially to clasp the 

 twig on which it is fixed, as shown in the accompanying 

 sketches. In this manner the bottom of the tube is 

 closed, and, as the insect resides in it with the head 

 downwards, I do not understand how it can obtain 

 nourishment from the plant through its delicate rostrum, 

 unless it occasionally emerges from its abode, which, of 

 course, is stationary. During the past spring I have 

 noticed that our common English cuckoo- spit insect 

 remains stationary on a plant for several weeks. 



The immature insect diti'ers from the imago in the usual 

 manner, having the wings only visible in a rudimeutal 



