Maskell. — On Coccididse. 23 



some insects on grape-vines at Ashburton, New Zealand, may 

 perhaps also be this species, if they are not a variety of 

 L. rihis. 



Subdivision LECANOCOCCIDiE. 



Insects covering themselves with cottony or felted matter: 

 exhibiting in all stages Lecanid characters. 



The genera forming this subsection may be distinguished 

 partly by the character of the sacs which they form. None of 

 them appear solid or waxy ; but in some — e.g., Eriochiton — they 

 are scarcely visible in the adult stage, while in Sigiioretia the 

 sac is apparent and conspicuous at the time of gestation. 

 More definite characters are in the antennae and feet — e.g., in 

 Eriochiton the former have seven joints, and in the feet the 

 tarsus is usually longer than the tibia. 



Genus Signoretia, Targioni-Tozzetti. 



Female insects forming a felted sac at gestation. Antennae 

 of eight joints. Characters Lecanid in all stages. 



Only one species of this genus has hitherto been reported — 

 S. luzulcB, Dufour, in southern France. 



Signoretia atriplicis, sp. nov. Plate III., figs. 1-9. 



Sac of female felted ; white or with a slight yellowish tinge ; 

 elliptical, convex : length about lin. 



Test of male white, thin, waxy, elliptical, convex, with a 

 posterior hinged plate : length about x^yin. 



Adult female brown, slightly elongated, convex, shrivelling 

 at gestation : length about jV^^- Antennae of eight joints, 

 the second the longest, the rest subequal. Feet normal, the 

 tibia longer than the tarsus, but the digitules seem to be 

 absent. Mentum monomerous. Epidermis bearing a number 

 of small, circular spinneret-orifices ; on the margin a row of 

 spines. Abdominal cleft and lobes present ; anogenital ring 

 bearing several hairs, of which six are rather large. 



Female of the second stage light-brown, flattisli, active : 

 length about 4^111. Form distinctly Lecanid. It appears to 

 be naked, but there is a very thin and fragmentary waxy test 

 sometimes visible, of v/hich the feather-like fringe corresponds 

 with a row of strong spines all round the margin. x\ntennae of 

 six joints. Feet slender; upper digitules fine hairs, lower 

 pair slightly dilated. x\bdominal cleft normal ; the lobes bear 

 two or three spines ; anal ring with numerous hairs. 



Larva yellow, flattish, elliptical, active: length about -jV^^- • 

 form normal of Lecanidince. 



Adult male dark-red : length about •g'^in. Form Lecanid, 

 with ratlier long, straight anal spike. Wings rather thick, 

 with conspicuous red nervures. Antennae of nine joints, all 



