UPON SCALE-INSECTS. 57 



parasitic and Apiosporium (Capnodium) is little known at 

 present. 



The majority of the Fungi-imperfecti found on scale- 

 insects are in all probability conidial stages of the Hypo- 

 creales. 



It is to be noted that certain of these fungi appear to be 

 restricted to definite genera or tribes of coccids. 



Nectria (with the exception of the form on Asteroleca- 

 nium) and Microcera (Sphaerostilbe ?) are confined to the 

 Diaspidinese. The Nectria has already been met with on 

 species of four genera and Microcera on those of five belong- 

 ing to this subfamily. 



Specimens of Aschersonia resembling Webber's A. aley- 

 rodis have been found in nearly all cases parasitic on 

 Aleurodes, spp. Another form appears restricted to species 

 to Lecanium. 



Cephalosporium has as yet only been examined on species 

 of Lecanium, though Mr. Green has a recollection of observ- 

 ing such a fungus some years ago on Asterolecanium, 

 which in spite of its name belongs to quite a different 

 family. 



To sum up, fungi have been found up to the present time 

 on about ten distinct genera and on thirty species at least 

 of Coccidse and Aleurodidse. 



Judging from the epidemic character many of these fungi 

 assume, there is little doubt that they are real parasites 

 and cause the death of the various scale-insects upon which 

 they have been found growing. In those instances where 

 successful inoculating experiments have been carried out, 

 any doubt is removed. Although we feel justified in recog- 

 nizing the majority of forms described as parasites, yet their 

 parasitism is not perhaps of a very specialized kind. As 

 Webber points out for Aschersonia aleyrodis, they may be 

 obligate parasites in the early stage of development, and 

 then continue their growth for some time after the death 

 of the insect, absorbing almost the entire body, thus becom- 

 ing facultative saprophytes. 



9(1)06 (8) 



