216 Transactions. — Zoology. 



Ceroplastes ceriferus, Anderson. Plate XII., figs. 11-16. 



Test of adult female white or yellowish-white, waxy, con- 

 vex, thick ; frequently agglomerated in large masses covering 

 the twigs of the food-plant. Separate individuals may range 

 in size from Jin. to -|in. Marginal tuberosities not distin- 

 guishable, though the margin is sometimes slightly flattened 

 and irregular. The apex of the test is sometimes produced 

 in a short pointed horn, not erect, but bent over the test. The 

 wax is rather soft and greasy. 



Test of the second stage slightly convex, elliptical ; colour 

 greyish-white ; median dorsal region usually smooth, sepa- 

 rated by a shallow depression from the marginal region, which 

 exhibits eight tuberosities, three on each side and two ter- 

 minal. Average length of test about lin. 



Adult female brown, very convex, elliptical, hollow 

 beneath. Form Lecanid ; but the anal cleft and lobes are not 

 easily made out, being contained in a conspicuous cylindrical 

 "tail," or prolongation of the abdomen. Antenna? of six 

 joints, of which the third is much the longest. Feet rather 

 thick, but not at all atrophied ; tibia scarcely longer than the 

 tarsus ; upper, or tarsal, digitules slender knobbed hairs, 

 lower pair on the claw rather long, thick, and expanded at 

 the end. Eostrum rather large ; mentum doubtfully dimerous. 

 Near the spiracles, on each margin, is a group containing eight 

 large conical spines and about twenty-four smaller ones. 

 Epidermis bearing many circular spinneret-orifices. "When 

 the " tail " is subjected to the action of potash and subsequent 

 pressure it is seen to contain at its extremity the abdominal 

 lobes and the anogenital ring, which has six rather strong 

 hairs. 



Female of the second stage brown, elliptical, slightly con- 

 vex. Form Lecanid, exhibiting the normal cleft and lobes; 

 there is no "tail," but the region surrounding the lobes is 

 thickened. Antennae and feet as in the adult, but the feet 

 are more slender. The margin bears a row of fine spiny 

 hairs, and four spiracular groups of large conical spines. 

 There are many small circular spinnerets on the epidermis. 



Larva yellow, elliptical, flatfish; length about J^in. Form 

 normally Lecanid, the anal lobes bearing long setae. Antennae 

 thick, with six rather confused joints. 



Male unknown. 



Hub. In Australia, on Melaleuca hypcricifolia, Myricct 

 ccrifcra, and other plants ; in India, on Celastrus ceriferus, 

 and on the Assam tea-plant, Kangra Valley. My Australian 

 specimens were sent to me by Mr. Koebele and Mr. Olliff ; 

 the Indian ones are from Mr. Cotes. 



I have given a detailed description here of this insect 



