1S78.] 231 



Buvmeistcr, however (in 1835), eonsidcred that it consorted better with the Coccina; 

 and, lastly, Westwood (in 18i0), seeing that it differed in important points from 

 both Aphidina and Coccina, created for it a new Family, in which view he was sup- 

 ported by Dr. Signoret in his excellent monograph on Aleurodes (Ann. Soc. Ent., 

 France, 1868), to which I am indebted for most of the particulars I now give. 



Many species are now known, and the perfect insects, which are very like small 

 moths, are found, chiefly between the months of April and October, in gardens and 

 sheltered places in woods, where they may be seen in rapid but short flight towai'ds 

 sunset. They ai-e best captured, according to Signoret, by placing over them when 

 at rest a small glass tube, from which they are easily transferred to a larger benzined 

 tube (a killing-bottle or laurel-leaf collecting-bottle would serve equally well). The 

 b: st means I have found for preserving them for examination is to gum them with 

 tragacanth on to black card. 



The insects have peculiar reniform eyes, generally bipartite j an ocellus just 

 above each eye ; a short, thick rostrum of thi-ee joints ; antennae of seven joints j 

 and four opaque wings of nearly equal size, covered with a delicate mealy powder of 

 a white or pale yellow colour, sometimes also having a small black spot. From the 

 similarity of size and colour the species are difiicult to separate, the small distinctions 

 being, according to Signoret, chiefly in the relative length of the joints of the antennae 

 and in the structure of the eyes j to which I would add that the examination of the 

 forceps-like armature of the genitalia of the male will, in all probability, show a dif- 

 ference of structure in the several species, similar to that found to exist in other 

 sections of the Ilomoptera, as well as in other orders. 



But it is more easy and satisfactory to differentiate the species in the larval 

 state, for they .then vary not only in colour but in character;* generally at first 

 transparent but becoming more or less opaque and yellow as they get older, — some- 

 times black or brown variegated with white ; some are smooth, others are furnished 

 more or less copiously with hairs on the back ; while others are provided with tubes 

 from which, a pale farinaceous matter is secreted, which in one species {A. JelineTcii) 

 forms tufts. In general almost all are bordered by a pale or transparent waxy 

 secretion, forming a kind of fringe all round the body ; but some are covered with a 

 rather thick protective secretion. 



The oval pedunculated eggs are laid, often in great numbers, on the under-side 

 of the leaves of trees or plants ; from them, in about twelve days, the lar;ree are 

 hatched ; these, in almost the same number of days (according to the observations 

 of Ileeger, after three moults), become pupse ; and these again assume the perfect 

 form in almost the same time ; so that a generation is perfected in little more than 

 a month, and throughout their earlier existence the insects remain always on the 

 same plant or leaf. In the perfect state they fly readily, and some species apparently 

 hibernate when adult. 



In this country the natural history of Aleurodes has been very little studied. 

 Stephens, in his Catalogue (1829), gave five species as British, but of these three 

 were found to belong to the Neuroptera; and Walker, in his List of British Ilomoptera 

 (1860), enumerated six species, mentioned below with the addition of the respective 

 food-plants, on which the larvae often abound : — 



* Parity to thia occurs with some species of Lepidoptira which are hardly to be distinguished 

 from others when in the ultimate form, but exhibit valid differences of structure when in the 

 larva-state. 



