Brittin. — Some Nexu Coccidae. 149 



Art. XVIII. — Some New Coccidae. 

 By G. Brittin. 



[Read before the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury, 1st July, 1914.] 



In the following paper are the descriptions of nine new species of Coccidae. 

 With the exception of two species forwarded to me by my friend Mr. R. W. 

 Raithby, from Crushington, near Reefton, they are the result of about 

 eighteen months' consistent search in and around Oamaru. I have been 

 reluctantly compelled to hold over several doubtful species, owing to the 

 fact that the late Mr. Maskell's type collection is at present not available 

 for reference, having been for the last six years in the United States, and 

 also to his diagnosis and drawings of some species not being full enough 

 for identification. 



During the last few years the classification of the Coccidae has under- 

 gone a complete revision, and in accordance with the law of priority 

 manv long-standing names have been changed and new genera erected. 

 For instance, the subfamily Lecaniinae has now been altered to Coccinae, 

 and the genus Dactylopius to Pseudococcus. With numerous alterations of 

 a similar nature, and the scarcity of good literature on the subject, a study 

 of the New Zealand species is rather a difficult task. Apart from the late 

 Mr. Maskell's work on the subject, apparently nothing is known of the 

 New Zealand Coccidae, and that a thorough investigation into this im- 

 portant group of the Hemiptera will have to be made sooner or later there 

 can be little doubt. Mr. R. Newstead, F.R.S., who is an authority on the 

 English Coccidae, in a letter recently, says that " the whole question of 

 redescribing the New Zealand species will have to be gone into again." 

 This is becoming more necessary as new species make their appearance, 

 and it is now known that some of the Australian species have, since Maskell's 

 time, permanently established themselves in the Dominion. 



The illustrations accompanying this paper have, as far as possible, been 

 done on a uniform scale, and the approximate magnification has been given. 



In conclusion, I beg to tender my thanks to Mr. C. B. Morris, F.R.M.K., 

 of Oamaru, for the great assistance he has given me in my work ; to 

 Mr. R. W. Raithby, for the loan of some of the late Mr. Maskell's slides 

 in his collection, and also for collecting ; to Professor T. D. A. Cockerell, 

 of Boulder, Colorado, and Dr. L. 0. Howard, United States Entomo- 

 logist, for literature on the subject ; also to Professor R. Newstead, F.R.S., 

 of" Liverpool, England, and Mr. C. French, Victorian Entomologist, for 

 much useful information. 



Fam. COCCIDAE. 

 Subfam. Diaspixae. 

 Gen. Fiorixia. 

 1. Fiorinia Morrisii sp. nov. Fig. 1. 



Puparium of adult female consisting entirely of the second exuvia ; 

 elongate-ovate ; generally straight, sometimes slightly curved ; convex ; 

 colour light brown. Secretion white, felted ;• larval exuvia white. 



Puparium of male felted, white, not carinated. 



Adult female white, elongated, widest at cephalic extremity, convex. 

 Rudimentary antennae with 4 strong hairs. Rostrum medium size, mentum 

 almost circular, rostral setae short. Anterior spiracles, set very close to 



