440 CHERMES. 



Genus X. — Chermes. 



X\ EARLY allied to the la{l tribe of infects, but of fuperi- 

 or fize, is the chermes, a race termed gall infe£is by M, 

 de Reaumur *. Their charafters are drawn from the fitu» 

 ation of the roflrum, which is placed in the bread ; and 

 from the fhape of the antennae, v/hich are longer than the 

 thorax- The wings are four in number, folding clofe 

 along the (ides of the abdomen.; the feet are formed for 

 leaping, their tarfi having two articulations. 



Thefe animals are found inhabiting a great variety of 

 different trees and plants, upon which they produce very 

 lingular excrefcences : The Liiuueaji names affixed to 

 - each fpecies are for the mofl part derived from the par- 

 ticular tree upon which they feed ; that of the fig tree is 

 the largeft, and therefore more ealily examined than any 

 of the reft of the tribe. 



The whole body of this infc£l is brown above, and 

 green beneath ; the antennae are large, hairy, and of the 

 fame hue with the back. The wings, which are twice 

 the length of the abdomen, are placed fo as to form a 

 kind of roof, as if to protect the animal from rain f . 

 Other fpecies, of inferior iize, frequent the elm, the afh, 

 the cherry, and the fir ; that which inhabits the lad of 

 thefe trees is provided Vv'ith a fliarp pointed inltrument, 



by 



* Tome III. M(.moire s. | Earbut's Gen. Infc6t. p. ijo. 



