New York AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 164 
abdomen and the embryonic development within, it becomes trans- 
lucent and appears as a clear pearl-like body. 
The development of this mite from the time the egg is formed 
until the adults appear takes place within the amnion in the ab- 
domen of the female. The abdomen of the adult female begins 
to extend shortly after impregnation and fills with a water-clear 
liquid. A series of observations made at this period indicates that 
the interval between the date on which distention begins and that 
on which eggs appear in the sac is from two to four days. From 
this time the eggs continue to develop rapidly and in about fifteen 
days the sacs are full and contain two hundred or more eggs. 
The sac takes on a pinkish color as the mites develop and in 
about three weeks from the time of swelling both males and females 
of the new generation are fully mature. The sac now disintegrates 
and in its place is a mass of crawling adults. In only one instance 
has a female been seen to deposit an egg and in that case the ab- 
domen finally broke and liberated the adults. (See Plate XV, 
fig. 5.) 
The newly hatched mites remain together for a short time and 
then wander over the plant feeding on the succulent tissues. For 
about ten days they crawl freely and then the abdomen begins to 
swell. The females soon become fixed, often on decaying tissue, 
and with the appearance of eggs within the abdomen the life cycle 
of another generation begins. 
The number of generations which occur with this species is some- 
what difficult of determination. Individuals of the several stages 
may be seen throughout the year. As far as the data obtained are 
concerned there appear to be at least two full generations and a 
possible third generation where the species breeds in grass. In Fin- 
land, Dr. Reuter has found two generations. From observations 
made on diseased carnation buds in the greenhouse there appear 
to be at least two additional generations. 
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION. 
The mite has a wide geographical range. It has been recorded 
in Europe as occurring in Finland. In the United States it has 
been taken in widely separated sections of New York State and 
Illinois and in Nebraska. 
