Maskell. — On Coccidid£e. 57 



that group in the formation of galls in the food-plant. It was, 

 however, at first doubtful whether the insect should not be 

 attached to Schrader's genus Ascelis, which likewise loses feet 

 and antennas. But, as no mention seems to be made by 

 Schrader of any test in Ascelis, his genus apparently being 

 covered only by the gall produced by it (as, indeed, are also 

 Brachyscelis aiid Ojyisthoscelis), there seemed to be quite 

 sufficient reason for its separation. I possess specimens of 

 Brachyscelis ovicola, Schrader, and also of other species of the 

 same group, and in none of these is the female covered with 

 anythmg but a single gall-like, seemingly vegetable domicile. 

 In Frenchia the female in its very latest stage has three 

 coverings — the inner waxy indusium, the hard woody tubular 

 test, and the plant-gall. 



I have pleasure in attaching to this very peculiar insect the 

 name of Mr. C. French, who appears to have first discovered 

 it. 



Frenchia casuarinae, sp. nov. Plate XIII. 



Adult female covered with a cylindro-conical, hard, tubular 

 test, woody, of very close texture : the wide base of this tube 

 is open ; the other end being at least partially closed until 

 gestation, after which it remains open : the length of the tube 

 varies with the age of the insect, attaining at full growth an 

 average length of rather over ^in., the base being sometimes 

 ^in. in diameter : the colour at first is yellow, deepening with 

 age to reddish-brown or nearly black : the outside is quite 

 smooth ; the inside is likewise smooth, and powdered with 

 white meal. The tube is set deep in the bark, the open base 

 closely attached to the wood of the tree ; the cylindrical por- 

 tion protruding through the bark, sometimes for half its length 

 or more ; and in old specimens the adjacent bark is much 

 cracked, exposing almost the whole tube. A single tube is 

 commonly surrounded by more or less swelling of the plant, 

 but often several tubes are placed close together, and in such 

 cases the galls attain considerable size : some specimens ob- 

 served reach more than 2in. in diameter, the unharmed por- 

 tion of the twig not being more than ^in. 



Within this woody tube, for the greater portion of the 

 insect's life, is only a coating of powdery meal; but in the 

 latest stage much of the rneal appears to become coagulated 

 into a waxy white or yellowish indusium, wliich becomes 

 attached to the insect, the lower part wide and circular, the 

 upper portion tapering away in a slender tube to a point. 



The adult female is at first reddish-yellow, then bright-red, 

 and after gestation dark-brown. The form is peculiar, the 

 cephalic portion circular and disc-like, rather thick in the 

 middle and thinner at the edges, and from the upper side of 



