Maskell. — On Coccididae. 3 



The notes which are herein inchided, as to " partheno- 

 genesis " and to the power of " gall-"making, will not, it is 

 hoped, be considered either trivial or unnecessary. In both 

 cases remarks of a vague and general character may be found 

 in various works dealing with Coccids : but my intention has 

 been to bring the subjects forward more particularly and 

 definitely. It is to be hoped that in time the problems con- 

 nected with these matters may be attacked systematically ; 

 and that European entomologists, when they get tired of 

 the already dreadfully-worn grooves of the Lepidoptera and 

 Coleoptera, will find the Coccids worthy of their best atten- 

 tion. 



It has occurred to me that a few words may usefully be 

 said about the mode of investigating systematically the species 

 and varieties of Coccids. In common with everything else, of 

 course, the outward appearance and habits of these insects, 

 their position on bark or leaves, their colour and size and 

 general form, must be carefully noted. But this exterior 

 studj^ of itself, would be of extremely little use to the student, 

 and indeed would lead him to utter confusion in a very short 

 time : not only could he seldom distinguish between species 

 and genera, but he would frequently confound Coccids with 

 Lecanids, and I have seen species of Australian Psyllids 

 which in outward appearance in the pupal stage very closely 

 indeed resemble Diaspids. Close examination of the ana- 

 tomical characters of the insects is therefore necessary : but 

 here again the student will find himself in a difficulty unless 

 proceeding in the proper way. The female insects, which 

 are in most cases the most important, are frequently so 

 covered with cotton or meal that the oi'gans cannot be made 

 out without treatment with reagents : moreover, at gestation 

 they almost always shrivel up into such small, shapeless 

 masses that their true form is often entirely lost. A student 

 must therefore examine them, and preserve them for com- 

 parison, in two ways : — the specimen cabinet should contain 

 as many, in their natural position if possible on portions of 

 their food-plant, as form a typical collection ; and, besides, 

 others should be mounted for microscopical study, either 

 whole or as dissected parts. The plan w-hich I have found 

 best adapted for these mounted specimens is as follows : it 

 involves several operations, which, however, do not occupy as 

 much time as might be thought from their description. 



First, after thoroughly investigating the natural exterior 

 ' form, colour, position, &c., of the insect, select as many indi- 

 viduals as may be required for dissection and mounting, and, 

 if they are encased in thick cottony sacs, or in thick wax, or 

 under puparia, carefully extract them therefrom— a proceeding 

 which will become less difficult with practice. Secondly, boil 



