358 NOTES ON THE FAMILY BRACHYSCELID^, 



some economic interest for us to be acquainted with the habits 

 and mode of growth of the Brachyscelids together with the parasites 

 by which they are kept in check, for as they come forth in such 

 countless numbers and in their earlier stages mine out of sight, 

 they might under favourable circumstances become a serious pest 

 in plantations of young Eucalypts. 



Brachyscelis duplex, Schrader, Trans. Ent. Soc. N.S.W. 1862, 

 Vol. i. p. 5, pi. IL fig. A, h, 1, o, s. 



2- Gall springing from the branch on a square four-sided stalk 

 varying from a quarter to half an inch in length, swelling out 

 from this into a four-sided gall with ridged edges ; 1^ inches in 

 diameter ; 2;^ inches in length from top of stalk to apical oi'ifice ; 

 the latter a broad and very narrow slit, on either side of which the 

 gall is prolonged into a flattened broad horn, which is often 5-6 

 inches long ; as many as four of these large galls may be on a 

 small twig a few inches long. Chamber containing coccid long, 

 cylindrical, and pointed at both ends ; the walls 4 lines in thick- 

 ness and very solid. 



2. Coccid golden yellow ; apical segments broad, slightly 

 depressed in centre ; legs very short, the joints of the middle and 

 hind legs almost globose, tarsal claws small and blunt; abdominal 

 broad and well defined, of a uniform breadth until about the third 

 above the anal segment, thence forming a blunt rounded base 

 from which the anal segment, which has a v-like mark on either 

 side, projects, bearing two long slender anal appendages widely 

 apart, l^ lines long, the pointed tips turned outwards and sur- 

 mounted with three long filaments or hairs ; long scattered hairs 

 all over the abdominal segment, forming distinct tufts on the 

 lower part of the outer edges of the last four apical segments ; 

 the upper side of the apical four marked with fine tubercles ; 

 the first with very small and scattered tubercles, the following 

 and anal segments with the tubercles in regular rows, conical, 

 spinose, all the segments fringed along the outer edges with tufts 

 of long white hairs. Length 12 lines, at widest point of thorax, 

 5i lines broad. 



