Miscellatieuus. 439 



are reserved for I'urtlier study, and if satisfactory results shall have 

 beeu attained, they will be treated of in a later paper. The nearly 

 simultaneous observation of this species in three distinct localities, 

 and its abundance in each, indicates that it is probably not uncom- 

 mon, and excites surprise that it does not appear to have been 

 previously noticed. — P/vc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philad., Aug. 5, lb84, 

 p. 213. 



On a new Insect of the Qetms Phylloxera (Phylloxera salicis, 



Licllt.). By M. J. LlCHTENSTEIJ^. 



I had for some time observed the presence, upon the bark of 

 willows in my garden, of a sort of snow-white mould, like the 

 cottony secretions of many Coceidina. By splitting a piece of bark 

 I discovered a dried-up skin, which I softened in caustic potash, 

 and which, under the microscope, showed the form of a Phiilloxem. 

 It is an insect 0-67 millim, long, with antennae of three joints and a 

 very long rostrum, reaching considerably beyond the abdomen. 



By examining the bark I succeeded in finding in the same fissure 

 some small ovoid envelopes of two different dimensions, some beiug 

 0*36 and others 0-25 millim,, neaiiy colourless and looking like 

 eggs. It was evident to me that I had not to do with true eggs, 

 but with what I have called sexual pupce. I then placed these 

 little envelopes in a tube and examined them daily, 



I first saw these little pupce raise themselves upon the posterior 

 extremity and begin to grow, escaping from a very fine pellicle, 

 which, as it were, formed a stalk for them. About the fourth or 

 fifth day I began to distinguish two little black eyes ; then small 

 and excessively short feet, and antennae, still shorter, forming only 

 a little three-jointed stump. Por eight or ten days I was able to 

 follow the development of this microscopic germ, balancing itself in 

 its silky calyx and constantly rising. 



Finally the evolution was completed, and, like ripe seeds, the 

 sexual insects, male and female, dropped on to the cork of the little 

 tube containing them, and copulation took place. The male dies 

 soon afterwards. The female then deposits an enormous light 

 yellow egg, nearly as large as herself, and I submitted the two 

 eexes to the microscope. 



As I had foreseen, these were really sexual insects, presenting all 

 the characters of the PhijUoxerce. The rostrum is completely defi- 

 cient, the limbs are nearly rudimentary, especially the antennae, 

 which are reduced to a very short knob. 



The mould upon the willow is nothing but an accumulation of 

 the cast envelopes of these pup;e, which escape in so singular a 

 fashion from their long pellicle. 



I do not know that I shall succeed in tracing the further evo- 

 lution of this insect, but I can not understand, considering its 

 abundance, how it has hitherto escaped observation. I shall call it 

 Phylloxera suVicis. It will fall within the group of those in which 

 he pupiferous form is apterous. I shall endeavour in the spring to 

 omplete its history. — Comptes Bendus, October 13, 1884, p. 010. 



