8o 



BRITISH GALLS 



out the month, and perhaps well on into June. A mass of 

 at least loo light yellow eggs may be found beside her, 

 each firmly fastened to the twig by a hair-like stem. 

 Having fulfilled her destiny, the Fundatvix dies. The eggs 

 hatch at the time when the spaces are formed — a perfection 

 of adjustment which excites our deepest admiration — the 

 larvae immediately crawl up into them, and begin to suck. 

 The edges of the cavities are often ornamented with 

 purple or reddish hairs. They continue to swell imtil the 



Fig. ig — Pseddo-Cone on Shoot of Common Spruce caused by 

 THE presence OF ChtrrMS dbietis, showing Larvae upon the 

 Cone. (1/2.) 



Fig. 20— Section of a Gall, showing the Numerous Larval 

 Cavities. (1/2.) 



margins meet and the larvae are completely enclosed within. 

 Each cavity contains many larvae — fifty or more. Buckton 

 remarked that even at a moderate computation a single 

 gall may contain 2,000 inhabitants. Within these 

 vegetable palaces the larvae undergo several moults and 

 pupate. At the end of July or early in August gall growth 

 ceases, and shrinkage of the margins of the cavities imme- 

 diately follows, leaving slits through which the pupae 

 escape. They crawl out upon the gall and the surrounding 



