MANNER OF BIRTH OF APHIDID.E. 31 



spraying these eggs he stated that the results -how that spraying for 

 the aphis in the egg stage is of doubtful utility, and the most effective 

 work ma} 7 be done soon after the aphides hatch. 

 .V paper was read, entitled : 



MANNER OF BIRTH OF THE WOOLLY APHIS OF THE APPLE 

 (SCHIZONEURA LANIGERA HAUSM.) AND OF OTHER APHI- 

 DIDiE. 



By W. K. Rumsey, Morgantoton, W. Va. 



The exact manner of birth of the agamic forms of the woolly aphis 

 of the apple seems to be a disputed point ; at least, there is a variance 

 in the published records that I have been able to find on the subject. 

 In a study of this insect, now under way at the West Virginia Agri- 

 cultural Experiment Station, some additional facts have been ob- 

 tained along this line which may be of interest. 



In the Eighth Report on the Noxious and Beneficial Insects of 

 Illinois, by Dr. Cyrus Thomas, is a statement relating to the repro- 

 duction of this species, which says : 



In so far as the method of propagation is concerned it has been shown by Dr. 

 W. M. Smith, of New York, that it differs slightly from the true aphides, in that 

 the voting larvae produced by the agamic females are inclosed in the thin e- r L r - 

 shaped covering heretofore mentioned, from which they have to free Themselves 

 in a manner analogous to hatching. The remains of this covering may often 

 be seen attached to the tip of the abdomen, and is doubtless the supposed cottony 

 secretion alluded to by Doctor Fitch in his description of the voting larva. 



A view diametrically opposed to that given by Doctor Thoma> is 

 found in the Report of the Department of Agriculture for 1879, 

 where this insect is treated, and from which the following extract is 

 taken : 



Mr. Howard has repeatedly watched the birth of the young of the wingless 

 agamic females and positively states that they are born without the enveloping 

 pellicle or pseudovum. While the head and its appendages were still within tin 4 

 mother, he has seen the legs kicking vigorously outside. 



These conflicting statements have led me to make careful observa- 

 tions along this line. While a student at Cornell, my study of this 

 species seemed to corroborate the views of Dr. W. M. Smith. During 

 my present study of the woolly aphis a large number of births have 

 been carefully watched, which has added materially to the evidence 

 sought. 



To see the entire operation of birth satisfactorily it was necessary 

 to devise some method by which the mother could be held in the posi- 

 tion desired. To accomplish this a rectangular cell was made on a 

 microscope slide with four small piece- of another slide. The cell 

 was just wide enough to hold a mature insect when placed on its side. 

 Jbut of sufficient Length to allow free extrusion of the young. The 



