palmer: coccid genus parlatoria. 141 



Comstock (1881), in a foot-note, mentions as a distinction 

 between proteus and pergandei Signoret's description of the 

 plates in proteus as being smooth on the mesal margin and ser- 

 rate on the lateral, while those in pergandei are palmately in- 

 cised, but this distinction has neither been observed by the 

 writer nor found in any other descriptions or figures, and Com- 

 stock (1883) himself, in his later description and figure of pro- 

 teus, shows the plates of proteus just the same as those of 

 pergandei. 



Newstead (1901 ) gives as a distinctive characteristic between 

 these two groups the distinction of the rudimentary fourth lobe, 

 present in pergandei and absent in proteus. This characteristic 

 has been determined by the writer, on examination of a number 

 of the so-called allied species, to be not of specific value, as will 

 be brought out in the following discussion of the rest of tlie 

 species above pronounced synonymous with proteus. 



Authorities are also undecided on the question of the status 

 of pergandei. Cockerell (1896, c) gives pergandei as a distinct 

 species, and (in 1899, h) as a variety oi proteus; and Marlatt, 

 in his manuscript of 1900, says pergandei, which he makes a 

 separate species, merges into proteus. 



We will now investigate the status of mytilaspiformis as a 

 valid species. Green (1899), in his original description, says 

 that the species approaches very closely to proteus, but that it 

 may be distinguished by the elongate form of the female scale 

 and by the more prominent and elongate lobes of the pygidium. 

 He also says that the pellicle or exuviae of the male scale of 

 proteus is said to be black. As to the shape of the scale, pro^ews is 

 also often elongated, as discussed above, and examination of speci- 

 mens of mytilaspiformis, on Psychotria, sent by Green, and pro- 

 teus on orchid collected by Green, proteus on orange from China, 

 sent by Craw, and proteus on Pinus from West Australia shows 

 that there is much variety in the shape of the scale ; in mytil- 

 aspiformis some being quite elongate while others are nearly 

 circular, and in proteus they also vary from some as long as 

 those in mytilaspiformis to nearly circular ; so that no distinction 

 in shape of scale can be observed. As to the more prominent 

 and elongate lobes of the pygidium, no difference of any moment 

 was detected by the writer either by observation of specimens 



