NOTES ON THE GENUS LESTOPHONUS, WILLISTON, 

 AND DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES. 



By Frederick A. A. Skuse. 



Rather more than two years has elapsed since Mr. Frazer S» 

 Crawford, of Adelaide, made the important discovery that a small 

 Dipterous insect was parasitic upon, and destroyed, the adult 

 females of the Coceid Icerya Purchasi^ Mask., thus checking the 

 overproduction of a species so notorious for its serious depredations 

 on several important trees, especially of the orange kind, in certain 

 other countries, but which is credited with being indigenous to 

 Australia. Shortly subsequent to the detection of this parasite, 

 the above-mentioned gentleman forwarded to Professor Riley of 

 the United States Department of Agriculture (Div. of Entom.) at 

 Washington, a few specimens (and drawings), together with one 

 or two specimens of a fly of similar appearance, regarded as 

 being specifically identical with the former, but which had been 

 reared from the adult females of another distinct Coceid, Mono- 

 2)hlebus C7'atvfordi, Mask. 



For several years Icerya Purchasi has been committing extensive 

 and costly ravages in California, so that American Entomologists 

 naturally manifested considerable interest in the discovery of this 

 deadly parasite. The specimens of the fly sent to Professor 

 Riley were speedily submitted to Dr. Williston for examination; 

 the opinion was expressed that the fly belonged to a new genus 

 referable to the Oscinidse, and the insect was eventually described 

 under the name Lestojihonus icerycn, in the "Bulletin of the Ento- 

 mological Dept.," (Washington) for July, 1 888. Shortly afterwards 

 an experienced Entomologist, Mr. A. Koebele, attached to the 

 U.S. Department of Agriculture, visited Australia in order to- 



