BY WALTER \V. FROGGATT. 



253 



In 1895 Tryon (9) gave a brief description of the eggs and 

 larvae of a species which is very plentiful in the spring and autumn 

 upon the foliage of the " Moreton Bay Fig" (Ficus macrophylla). 

 The larvae prick the leaves with their sharp rostra, and live in 

 social groups protected by masses of coagulated sap. 



In 1898 a paper by Maskell was published shortly after his 

 death in which three species from Australia were described (9). 



The last paper dealing with Australian species is that by S. A. 

 Schwarz (10), who redescribed Dobson's Psylla eucalypti, placing 

 it in Signoret's genus Spondyliaspis; and added a new species. 



The above is a summary of all that has been written on Aus- 

 tralian PsyUidce; but the foreign species have had many admirers, 

 and have been well worked out. 



In a group of Micro Homoptera like the PsyUidce, where the 

 largest are hardly over two lines in length, there is a very great 

 difference in examining carded or mounted specimens, sometimes 

 many years old, in Museum Collections, and series of living insects 

 of the same species, with a knowledge of their lifediistories. 

 Therefore, to describe them properly, there is no doubt that the 

 correct mode of studying them is upon the spot and in relation 

 to their food-plants. Fortunately the} T are very easily bred out, 

 and in most cases when the food-plant is obtained specimens in 

 all stages of development, from the egg to the perfect insect, may 

 be found and worked out upon the same branch of foliage, the 

 whole life-history being under review at once. 



I have to tender my thanks to the following gentlemen for 

 their kindness in sending me specimens and notes : — Messrs. C. 

 French and C. French, Jr., of Victoria, Mr. H. Tryon of Brisbane, 

 and Mr. A. M. Lea, of Tasmania. To Dr. Horvath of Hungary 

 and Dr. Howard of America I am indebted for papers dealing 

 with the family, and to Mr. J. H. Maiden of Sydney for notes 

 and papers upon the subject of manna. 



Classification. 



The PsyUidce, form a very well defined family of the suborder 

 Homoptera, closely allied to the Aphidce in habits and form. I 



