THE LIFE-HISTORY OF THE BLACK-CURRANT GALL-MITE. 373) 
Further experiments were made with black-currant roots which 
were placed upon the soil and dusted with actively migrating 
mites. Again nothing definite happened, the mites seemed in no 
way contented with their new environment, and acted as though 
the object of their migration were as far from attainment as ever. 
Such negative results are, of course, inconclusive, but it seems 
likely that all the mites which fail to the ground are doomed to 
perish unless they should have the extreme good fortune to be 
carried by some passing insect to another bush. 
Entry into the new Buds. 
During the first week in June the mites were wandering actively 
about the stems, and some were found in the axils of the leaves, 
and close to and upon the new buds (PI. 33. figs. 3,4). On June7 
a mite artificially placed upon a young bud was seen to work its 
way in between the sheathing-leaves. New buds were removed 
at frequent intervals and examined for mites, which were found 
inside for the first time on June 8. During the ten days of more 
or less active migration which succeeded, the search for mites was 
successful in a fair percentage of cases, but from the number of 
buds which afterwards proved to be diseased it is likely that the 
presence of one or two of the animals was frequently overlooked— 
a fact, perhaps, not greatly to be wondered at. The mites in any 
one bud were always extremely few in number. ‘Till June 12 
the weather had been hot and dry, and on that date very few 
mites were wandering, and those still within the old diseased buds 
showed slight signs of life. The migration was apparently almost 
at an end. Rain then fell, and this seemed to revive many of the 
mites and to prolong the migration period for afew days. With 
rare exceptions, wandering mites were not seen after June 19, by 
which time the old abortive buds were entirely lifeless. The 
migration, therefore, was at an end, and of the hosts of mites in 
existence at the end of May an infinitesimal number had obtained 
a footing in the new buds, all the rest having presumably perished. 
Behaviour of the Mites within the young Buds. 
The migrating mites were for the most part adult, and eggs 
could be seen in the transparent bodies of the females (Pl. 33. 
fic. 7). The date of the deposition of these eggs seemed to bea 
matter of some importance, though by no means easy to ascertain. 
The plan of searching for them by the dissection of individual 
buds was abandoned, but new buds were daily removed from 
