8o 
BRITISH GALLS 
out the month, and perhaps well on into June. A mass of 
at least ioo light yellow eggs may be found beside her, 
each firmly fastened to the twig by a hair-like stem. 
Having fulfilled her destiny, the Fundatvix dies. The eggs 
hatch at the time when the spaces are formed—a perfection 
of adjustment which excites our deepest admiration—the 
larvae immediately crawl up into them, and begin to suck. 
The edges of the cavities are often ornamented with 
purple or reddish hairs. They continue to swell until the 
Fig. 19—Pseudo-Cone on Shoot of Common Spruce caused by 
the presence of Chermes abietis, showing Larvae upon the 
Cone. (1/2.) 
Fig. 20—Section of a Gall, showing the Numerous Larval 
Cavities. (1/2.) 
margins meet and the larvae are completely enclosed within. 
Each cavity contains many larvae—fifty or more. Buckton 
remarked that even at a moderate computation a single 
gall may contain 2,000 inhabitants. Within these 
vegetable palaces the larvae undergo several moults and 
pupate. At the end of July or early in August gall growth 
ceases, and shrinkage of the margins of the cavities imme¬ 
diately follows, leaving slits through which the pupae 
escape. They crawl out upon the gall and the surrounding 
