ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 265 



It may not here be out of place to allude to two other species of Bark-lice 

 which have recently come under my observation. The first is a species of Coc- 

 cus closelv allied to the Coccus Jlicis* of Southern Europe. It is found on 

 pine trees in the northern part of the city of San Francisco, but has not yet 

 proved especially destructive. The full grown female, with which alone I am 

 acquainted, is the size of a small pea, globular, smooth, and dark blackish 

 brown in color. It is found in clusters on the outer end of the twigs. The 

 -(eraale when opened contained about 200 eggs, lying loosely in the interior of 

 the dry scale, there being no sign of any flocculent matter. The eggs did not 

 hatch till late in July, but the young were found dead on my return from a 

 short absence, and I am unable to do more than call attention to its occurrence. 



The second species is abundant on the Laaresti am bushes in the city, many 

 of them having been killed by the countless multitudes upon every branch. It 

 is a small brown scale about X^ inch long, shaped something like a minute oys- 

 ter shell, and is very closely allied to the Aspidiotus conchiformis of the Eastern 

 States, which has caused such destruction to the apple orchards of those States. 

 I deem it the more important to call attention to this insect, as I found many 

 specimens on apple trees growing alongside of infected Lawestinus bushes, and 

 it may yet prove a serious nuisance in California. Closely allied species have 

 become so numerous and destructive to the orange and coffee trees in the Sand- 

 wich Islands, as to seriously affect the value of those crops. 



Mr. Stretch also presented a paper on the so-called " Flea 

 seeds." He found on examination that they are " Galls " pro- 

 duced by one of the many species of C^nips infesting the dif- 

 ferent oak trees. These insects are allied to the great family of 

 bees, and each species produces a characteristic gall, some of them 

 on the roots, some on the stems, and others on the leaves of the 

 plant attacked. When the insect refjuires no further nourishment, 

 these galls become detached from the leaf and are only a thin shell, 

 the interior having been eaten out by the enclosed grub. It is the 

 spasmodic contraction and expansion of the grub which produces 

 the jumping of the gall. 



A communication on this same subject was prepared for the pre- 

 vious meeting, by Chas. D. Gibbes, but was not read. It will be 

 remembered that a number of the seeds were sent to the Academy 

 from Stockton, and Mr. Gibbes while on a visit to that place took 

 the opportunity to make some observations on them. They were 

 found under an oak at the residence of a Mr. Brown, in the north- 

 ern part of the city, and contained, as Mr. Stretch remarked, the 



* Le Caniuin Ilicis, Burmeister. 



