QQ [Marsh, 



but in that species the scales are 8 mm. long by 4 broad, being, 8ig- 

 noret says, cue of the largest species found in France. The scales I 

 received were dry and empty, and the stems of broom to which they 

 were attached were dead when found, so it seemed possible that the 

 life of the insects had been arrested, and the length of the scale re- 

 stricted to 5 nmi. by the premature death of the food-plant, and I 

 determined to wait a year for the solution of the question. 



This season Dr. Chapman has sent several scales on three occa- 

 sions ; in all of them the insect was mature, and the scale full of very 

 small white eggs, but the scale itself differed each time. On June 17th 

 the insects were alive, and the scales (not yet firm) had attained 

 nearly the full size, but were yellow-brown, smooth though very finely 

 punctured, and had 8 — 9 narrow black lines extending across from 

 margin to margin at equal distances apart, the lines strongest on the 

 anterior part of the scale. On June 21st the scales were redder- 

 brown, the transverse black lines a trifle raised, the punctures generally, 

 especially on each side of the median line, deeper and more conspicuous. 

 On July 10th the black lines had in most cases disappeared from the 

 disc, and remained on the sides towards the margins only, or in some 

 instances had quite vanished. This last consignment of scales was 

 attached to vigorous living shoots of broom, and the maximum length 

 of 5 mm. was not in any case exceeded, so that the full gi'owth had 

 been attained. 



The male in any stage was not obtained. 



This species on the broom differs materially from L. genistcs on 

 the allied Petty-whin, inasmuch as that species, as described by Sig- 

 noret, has scales nearly twice as long (8 mm.), and no mention is made 

 of the very characteristic black lines ; the antennae also are described 

 as of 8 joints ; the 3rd, 4th and 5th longest and subequal, the 5th at 

 the apex with three hairs, of which one is very long ; Gth and 7th 

 equal, the latter with three short hairs ; Sth twice as long as the 7th, 

 with eight to ten hairs ; tibife and tarsi slender, the former one-fourth 

 longer than the latter; claws broad at the base, with one of the digi- 

 tules a little larger than the other. 



Dr. Chapman informs me that the scales are gregarious on the 

 under-side of last year's shoots of the broom, attached by preference 

 to sloping or horizontal branches, and, curiously, to a great extent to 

 such as were in a dying state. The death of the branches Dr. Chap- 

 man attributes to the attack of an Aphid with which they are infested. 

 He sent some examples to Mr. Buckton, who says they are the common 

 Siplionophora pisi, Kalt. (Brit. Aphides, vol. i, p. 134, pi. xiv), a general 



