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I have repeatedly seen in the southern part of the State winged in¬ 
dividuals among the colonies of the wooly plant-lice on the trunks of 
apple trees; these I always regarded as belonging to the colo¬ 
nies. They correspond with the description given by the editors of 
the Entomologist, in regard to color, size and wings, but were found 
upon the trunks and limbs of the trees, and around the collar at the 
surface of the ground, and may, for aught I know, have been also on 
the roots, as I did not extend my examination to these. But it is 
certain they are quite common on the trunks and branches, in the 
little fissures, breaks and abraded spots in the bark. Goureau also 
states that the European species is found on the branches, trunks and 
roots of the trees. Verrill’s description of the specimens he found in 
New England, agrees exactly with that of the apple root-lice found 
by the editors of the Entomologist. It appears, therefore to be pretty 
well settted, that Dr. Fitch was mistaken in reference to where his 
winged specimens belonged, or that his species differ from the apple- 
root louse of the West. It has also been pretty clearly demonstrated 
that the Wooly Aphis of the trunk and branches is the same as that 
found on the roots. On the other hand, the preponderance of evi¬ 
dence appears to be against the idea of importation from America to 
Europe. 
Dr. Fitch’s species may be briefly described as follows: The young 
larvae are scarcely 0.04 of an inch long; of an oval form, and pale, 
dull yellow color. Legs short, robust, and nearly equal in length. The 
antennae appear much like a fourth pair of legs, and apparently five- 
jointed. From the tip of the abdomen is usually seen protruding a 
white filament of flocculent, cotton-like matter. It is proper to state 
that in some respects this description differs slightly from the appear¬ 
ance of the larvae I have examined from the trunk. 
Winged individuals .—These are nearly a quarter of an inch long to 
the tips of the closed wings; body, legs and antennae, coal black; the 
head and abdomen covered on the back with cottony down. Front 
wings, transparent and slightly smoky, as though sprinkled with fine 
dust; veins, black; the third vein is rather more slender than the first, 
nearly straight, not forked, its basal third abortive; stigma dark, smoky 
brown, oblong; its opposite sides nearly parallel, abruptly converging 
to an acute point at each end. Hind wings, clearer; the two discoidal 
veins, black. 
The winged individuals found in Illinois may be briefly described 
thus: General color, black; antennae not quite half as long as the body, 
third joint half as long as the entire antennae; abdomen, more or lesR 
sprinkled with white downy matter. Wings transparent; third discoidal 
vein forked near the middle, its basal portion obsolete; stigma nearly 
three times as long as it is wude, pointed at each end, and pale brown. 
Length to the tips of the closed wings, about one-seventh of an inch. 
As it is certain that our Illinois insect infests both root and trunk, 
we may assume, so far as practical purposes are concerned, that the 
two supposed species (rejecting Fitch’s winged specimens) are identical, 
and treat them as such. 
These minute pests, having reached the roofs in a way not yet fully 
and satisfactorily explained, by their numerous punctures and the 
extraction of the sap, cause irregular distortions, swellings and knots to 
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