56 Transactions. — Zoology. 



essentially differs from that of Clenochiton ; yet one is conve- 

 niently denoted by the word " cotton," the other by " wax." 



Ceronema banksias, sp. nov. Plate IV., figs. 1-13. 



Adult female secreting dorsally a thick mass of white waxy 

 threads, which, when closely examined, are short cylinders. 

 These are produced from pores at or near the margins of the 

 body, and not on the median region, so that the insect is only 

 partially covered, the mass of wax curling thickly inwards 

 from the edges, but leaving the median dorsum visible. At 

 the edges the test spreads out all round in a much looser 

 arrangement of threads, but there is no fringe properly so 

 called. Beneath the insect the threads are pressed into a 

 closer mass between it and the leaf, but the median ventral 

 region is also clear. Thus the insect lies, as it were, in a ring 

 of white threads flattened beneath and curling over above. 

 Diameter of test averaging about ^in. 



The second stage of the female and the larva have no 

 tests. 



The male pupa is covered by a white, glassy test of the 

 usual elliptical Lecanid form, composed of plates, the posterior 

 plate hinged for egress. Length of test about T V n - 



Adult female dark red-brown, of normal Lecauid form, 

 flattish, very slightly convex, without dorsal carinas. Length 

 about ^in. Antennas of six joints, of which the third is much 

 the longest, next the first, the rest shorter and subequal. In 

 the third there is a " false joint," and on the sixth are some 

 hairs. Feet small and rather slender : I have not been able 

 to make out the digitules, but they appear to be all fine hairs. 

 Abdominal cleft and lobes, and anal ring, normal. The four 

 spiracular marginal depressions are semicircular, with a 

 chitinous band bearing a few club-shaped spines. On the 

 margin of the body is a row of short fine hairs. The dorsum, 

 except on the median region, which is almost unmarked, bears 

 great numbers of oval pores, the orifices of tubular canals, and 

 close to the margin is a row of larger canals ending in larger 

 pores, which are multilocular. The canals are smaller and 

 more closely set as they approach the median region. 



Female of the second stage yellowish - brown, flattish, 

 elongated-elliptical, with a faintly-indicated longitudinal dorsal 

 carina. Length about ^in. Antennas and feet and abdominal 

 cleft as in the adult. The dorsal pores are absent, but the 

 marginal row of canals with multilocular orifices can be 

 seen. 



Larva brownish-yellow, flattish, elongated, narrowly ellip- 

 tical, naked, active. Length about ^jin. Abdominal lobes 

 normal of Lecanidce, the setas rather long. Antennas very long 

 and slender, with six long joints, the sixth especially long. 



