DISEASE OF THE BLACK CURRANT. 
347 
Red Spiders, which are rounded and possess eight legs, they are worm- 
hke, with only four legs placed together anteriorly. The elongated part 
of the body is faintly and closely ridged transversely by numerous dotted 
rings, and from it project four pairs of bristles. The longest pair arises 
from the back, close to the posterior extremity. 
The mites wriggle along with some speed when liberated from the 
buds, and no doubt while they are still enclosed they will be in an active 
state. The swelling or gall-growth is doubtless due to the irritation set 
Fig, 118. 1.— Healthy shoot in December. 2. — Shoot in December with swollen buds 
(galls). 3. — Infested bud in June. 4.— Mite {Phytoptus ri6is) greatly magnified. 
up by the mites as they move about and feed on the developing leaves. 
Their presence obviously stimulates the buds to abnormally rapid growth 
for a time. 
In December a few eggs are found amongst the enclosed mites, and 
by February they are very numerous. The eggs are proportionately large 
in size. The attacked buds, after swelling considerably and opening out 
somewhat like a miniature Cabbage, cease to develop. The largest have a 
diameter of f to]^ inch. TJie floral organs and associated leaves are 
M 
