66 APHIS VASTATOR. 



(260.) The rostrum is about one fourth as long as Ihe 

 body, and contains a fine apparatus for piercing the leaf 

 and walls of the cells. This instrument when open pre- 

 sents three diverging delicate piercers, one of which 

 answers to the tongue and the other to the jaws of insects. 

 (Plate ix., fig. 2 ; Plate vm., fig. 7, a, ~b, c-) 



(261.) The head is very distinct in its form, and has 

 fine spines upon it. The eyes are red or black, and so 

 strongly colored that they may be seen through the mem- 

 brane which envelopes the insect before it is born. 



(262.) The abdomen is very angular when the creature 

 is walking about, and is furnished towards its extremity 

 with tubercles, which extend posteriorly as far as the apex 

 of the abdomen. These tubercles are hollow, and contain 

 a peculiar matter in the interior. 



(263.) In the pupa state it has rudimentary wings, 

 which grow for a certain time, when the creature casts 

 its skin, and comes out a winged specimen.* (Plate vm., 

 fig. 4.) 



(264.) The winged insect has four wings, which are 

 carried in the same posture as they are by all other 

 Aphides. With these wings it is cabable of flying to 

 great distances, but it is generally, except when on flight, 

 a lazy creature in its final or perfect state, and not very 

 prone to fly away for slight causes. (Plate ix., figs. 1 

 and 4.) 



(265.) After a careful comparison of this insect with all 

 the other Aphides of which descriptions have been publish- 



* I do not know exactly how many times the insect casts its skin, 

 but I am inclined to think that this operation is performed at least 

 three or four times. * 



