224 Memotrs of the Indian Museum. Vor. Way 
form pouched convexities, under the shelter of which the insects multiply rapidly. 
Thefe is an increased flow of plant juices towards the points of irritation caused by 
the presence of the beaks of the insects, and often later there is a good deal of hyper- 
trophy in these parts which retain their original direction of growth. This results 
in the formation of the noticeable pseudogalls which are sometimes almost quite 
closed. 
Loss of fruit.—The drain on the plant is very excessive and the normal functions 
of the foliage are much interfered with; naturally, therefore, the other parts of the 
plant and in particular the growing fruit are not supplied with sufficient quantities 
of nutrient fluids. They either are what the gardeners term “ thin,” that is dwarfish 
and sickly, or fall off after attaining a small size. 
Sometimes whole orchards are affected and the annual loss to peaches must be 
very considerable. As any further consideration on this head would perhaps be 
foreign to the scope of this paper, the nature and extent of the loss or its prevention 
is not touched upon here. For information of this kind one can refer to some excel- 
lent Reports and Bulletins issued from the Agricultural Experiment Stations in vari- 
ous parts of the United States of America. Some of the most recent are: — 
Monthly Bulletins, State Commission of Horticulture (California), 1913, by 
Essig. ; 
Biennial Report of Crop and Horticultural Pests 1913: On Aphid Control by 
Wilson. 
Bulletins of Maine Exp. Station by Patch. 
Natural enemies.—In spite of its sheltered position this Aphid is extensively 
parasitised by a Lysiphiebus sp. It has often happened that if a twig has been 
brought from outside enclosed in a handkerchief and kept a few days under cover, one 
finds at the end of this period hardly any Aphids but plenty of swarming parasites. 
Several species of Syrphids, chiefly the smaller kinds, lay their eggs near them and the 
larvae from these suck the Aphids dry. Of the Coccinellids the most useful are three 
species of Scymnus, their small size giving them an easy entrance into the pseudogalls ; 
Chilomeles sexmaculata and Adoma variegata as well as Coccinella 2-punctata are often 
noticeable, while Brumus suturalis is as good as any Scymnus. 
Besides the above Stebbing has mentioned Collophora sauzreti on Peach Aphis 
(Ind. Mus. Notes, VI, p. 45). 
Life-history.—The leafy spurs of peaches begin to sprout in the latter part of 
February or in early March. The Aphid also makes its appearance about this time 
and begins to curl them up. It is probable that in India, as in other countries, the 
stem-mothers hatch from eggs laid on peaches some time previously, and it is these 
that start future colonies ;. the winged generations soon appear and disperse the species 
to other plants. Throughout April and some part of May, and in moist shady places 
even up to June, the Aphids are numerous on peaches. 
At this time they may also be noticed on a compositous weed, growing along 
ditches and water-courses (sometimes cultivated also), causing similar curls on the 
