250 



THE STUDY OF INSECTS. 



mines. In some of the blotch mines the epidermis of one 

 side of the leaf is thrown into a fold by the growth of the 

 leaf ; these are tentiform mines. 



In addition to peculiarities in shape many mines are 

 marked by characteristic lines or spots composed of the 

 droppings of the larva. 



The following species will serve to illustrate the habits 

 of these remarkable insects. 



The White-blotch Oak-leaf Miner, LitJiocolletis hamadrya- 

 della (Lith-o-col-le'tis ha-mad-ry-a-del'la). This little miner 

 infests the leaves of many different species of oak, and some- 



times it is extremely abundant. We have seen trees infested 

 so badly that there were on an average four or five mines in 

 each leaf. Figure 298 represents a leaf from such a tree. The 

 nine is a whitish, blotch mine in the upper side of the leaf. 



