110 



THE OLIVE 



color marbled with black, the ridge down the center being of a light- 

 er shade. 



From a ventral view the rings of the body can be plainly seen,, 

 and also the feet, antennae and borer: all of which are of a pale yel- 

 lowish green color; the eves are black. The length is from a fifth 

 to a sixth of an inch. 



As soon as the female is perfectly developed, it becomes seden- 

 tary, attaching itself to a leaf or the wood of a branch and depos- 

 its its eggs, first covering itself completely with a cottony substance, 

 which exndes from its body. In this hiding place it empties itself 

 of from four hundred and fifty to five hundred eggs. The larvae, 

 as soon as hatched, break through this covering and scatter broad- 

 cast, the mother remaining for some time longer, the substance sur- 

 rounding her hardens and forms a shell which she breaks through 

 and abandons. The time of the metamorphosis is not constant ; 

 from May to September, insects, larvae and eggs can be found at the 

 same time. 



This insect draws its nourishment from the sap of the tree, and 

 the branches attacked will wither away. It frequently occurs, that 

 on branches selected by this parasite, the black smut or Rust is 

 generated. Its destruction is not difficult, it only being necessary to 

 spray the tree, at different seasons of the year, with kerosene mixed 

 with water, or some prejmration of whale oil soap. Should these 

 remedies be ineffectual, the diseased limbs should be cut away 

 and burned. 



The presence of ants on a tree are an indication that these insects 

 are about. The ants are very fond of them and are a valuable aux- 

 iliary in their destruction. 



LECANTUM OLEAE. 



{See Plate XII Fig. 17, 18.) 



The larvae resemble greatly those of the Coccus oleae just 

 described, with this difference in the female ; in the adult stage it 



