CHERMES. 441; 



"by which it makes pundtures in the extremity of the 

 branches, in order to depofit its young. By this means 

 the fir-tree chermes produces that enormous fcaly pro- 

 tuberance, which is often feen at the fummit of the 

 branches, and which is formed by the extravafation of the 

 juices through the wounds tlius made f. 



The larva chermes has fix feet : In figure, it refem- 

 bles the perfect infe£l: ; its £hape is oblo.ig, and its mo- 

 tion flow. In the chryfalid llate, the forra is fomewhat 

 changed, by two fmall protuberances upon the thorax, 

 the rudiments of future wings. When the chryfaiids 

 are about to undergo their laft metamorpnofes, they re- 

 treat to the under fide of a leaf, to which they remain 

 attached without motion. 



On the approach of their change, the membrane above 

 the hfead and thorax is feen to fplit and open ; The per- 

 fect infeft then com^s forth \»ith its wings, leaving the 

 fpoils of its chryfalis ftiil adhering to the leaf, and rent 

 on the anterior part. Thejsmpty floughs of thefe infeds 

 are often found in great plenty beneath the leaves of the 

 ilg-tree. 



The tubercles raifed upon the branches of trees by the 

 punftures of the chermes, not only become the refidence 

 «f the animal, but alfo of its eggs and larva, which are 

 contained in thofe cells with which they abound. The 

 box-tree chermes produces no excrefcences upon that 

 plant : Its punftures make the leaves bend in towards 

 each other at their extremity, where their union forms, 

 at the fummit of the branch, a hollow knob, in which, 

 •the larvte of that infe£l find flicker. 



Vol. III. 3 K ^oth 



f yide Reaumur k Frifch. Germ, xii, p. ic. 



