The first indication of mating was July 23, on a tree in the open with the male clinging to the back of the female but not on center; July 29, male and female were on same twig end to end, but no evident copulation ; August 31. many males noted resting on females hut none were seen in coition, The prenuptial atten tions are apparently quite extended and The males rest uniformly on the side of the pronottnn of the female, the feet of one side closed beneath the border of the elytra of the female. Often two males are seen attached to one female but seemingly oblivious of each other. They have no attachment to the twig and the female walks readily up or down the twig. As they are almost invariably accompanied by one or more attendant ants, the moving mass presents a very grotesque appearance. seine instances three and even four males were seen attached to or clustered around a single female.
Actual egg deposition was not observed but newly laid egg masses, which must quite certainly be connected with this species, were iound in twigs sent to me from Cranberry Lake after my return to Columbus. These are laid in two masses diverging from a central line and with the ends of the eggs scarcely below the level of the bark. The position of the egg masses is indicated in the figure (Pl. fig. g).
Unquestionably the eggs must remain in the twigs over winter for hatching in spring or early summer.
The smallest nymph observed was 3 mm. in length, with the head very short as seen from above; the pronotum was somewhat curved forward between the eyes; the anterior part depressed and the posterior part elevated. The crest was slightly elevated, much less so than later. The apex half way upon the mesonotum ; the mesonotum of equal length, forming about a half cylinder. There are no wing pads but the hind quarter of the mesonotum is slightly produced at lateral border. The abdomen is short, roundingly narrowed to terminal segment, which is eylindrie, about one-half longer than thick. The legs when contracted do not show from above; the tibia flattened and in natural position at rest are scarcely visible.
The largest nymph is 7.5 mm. long and about one-half as wide; brown-gray, mottled distinctly with white. The head is scarcely
visible from above and with the eyes is as wide or a trifle wider than the pronotum. The pronotum is elevated, the central portion rugose, the posterior border produced into an acute process ex tending over to the meso- and on io the base of the metanotum. The mesonotal wing pads reach the second abdominal segment and overlap the metanotal wing pads which reach about the same point, the hinder border paralleling the mcsonotal pads. The abdominal segments 2-7 have a pair of short depressed spurs near the middle line and close to the hind edge. Beneath it is distinctly flattened and the venter is greenish.
The deposition of eggs in the twigs or small branches, mostly in the cambium, results in a distorted growth, the character of which is quite evident from comparison of scars or different ages (Fig. 37) measured by the age of twig or branch. Eggs are mainly, if not entirely, deposited in twigs of the previous year's growth and the result of the first year's growth of new tissue is a deep fissure with protruding lips on the side, the central strip of bark apparently having dried np and broken away. Another year's growth fills in the fissure and still further enlarges the bulb like swelling of the twig and later years add thickness to the swell= ing with the growing branch, perhaps ultimately obliterating the sear entirely but in some instances quite evidently causing a weakened spot that may result in the breaking of the branch. .
The economic importa nee of these insects is dependent upon the abundance in which they occur, and from the amount of damage done to a number of the trees at the 'summer Camp it is evident that in abundance they will cause very considerable injury. The damage is of two kinds: The first, that resulting from the sucking of the sap from the trees by the nymphs, a result which may be quite severe, especially if the nymphs occur as has been observed, by several hundred on a single small tree.
The second kind of damage is that due to punctures made by the females in depositing eggs and this damage, as indicated above, depends largely upon the size of the branch or twig which is attacked.