Insects on Scotch Firs. 



59 



winter in the pupal stage. The appearance of the hies, too, 

 was equally abnormal, as all authorities agree that the fly 

 does not come until May. 



But little can be clone by way of prevention. The only 

 remedy would be spraying with solutions of soft soap 

 and quassia, in which might be incorporated Paris green 

 at the rate of | lb. to 100 gallons of the mixture, or with 

 paraffin emulsion. The spra)ing must be done well and 

 more than once, in order that the liquid may be distributed 

 between the needles, and run down to their bases and into 

 the holes made by the larvae. 



It is desirable to clip off the infested shoots, but this can 

 obviously only be done on young trees. 



Since the above was written further shoots of Scotch firs 

 have been received from the same locality in Somersetshire, 

 injured apparently in exactly the same manner. Some of 

 the tips were brown and dead, others were dying ; and it was 

 reported that about 10 per cent, of the trees were in a bad 

 state, while all were more or less affected. 



These injured shoots were received on the 19th of May, 

 and it was seen on examining them that there was no trace 

 of the fly Oscinis maura found before, except the holes at 

 the base of the needles ; but many eggs and larvae of an 

 aphis or Cliermcs [Cher vies corticalis) were discovered 

 enveloped in coverings of white silky threads. The eggs 

 were in groups of ten to twenty, of a light chestnut or 

 yellowish colour, barrel shaped, and very large in proportion 

 to the larvae. The larvae were light chestnut in colour, and 

 their antennae were terminated by bristles, a feature which 

 is peculiar to Chermes corticalis, as Mr. Buckton remarks, 

 adding further that " the minute terminal bristles show an 

 approximation to Coccus." 



This Chermes was without doubt doing great harm to the 

 fir shoots, which swarmed with eggs and larvae ; but in the 

 shoots sent in February, all of which were infested with Oscinis 

 maura, and which came from the same plantation, there 

 was no trace of the Chermes, neither eggs nor any hibernating 

 apterous female. Particular search was made for these, as 

 the attack resembled that of a Chermes, but not a sign of 



