1903.] 57 



fore-wini^s wholly rich orange-buff, without :iny tinge of grey, and 

 with the whole costal margin, and the cilia, exactly concolorous with 

 the rest of the wing, while the hind-wings are pale orange-buff tinged 

 with grey, especially near the inner margin, and have orango-buff 

 cilia." 



Norden, Corfe Castle: 



Deeemher ?^\st, 1902. 



KERMES qUERCUS, Linn., A COCCID NEW TO BRITAIN. 



BY R. NEWSTEAD, A.L.S., &c. 



This interesting addition to our fauna was discovered by Mr. 

 Harold J. Burkill at the foot of the S. W. slope of Wimbledon 

 Common, near the Beverley Brook. The first batch of specimens 

 reached me through my friend Mr. G-eorge Nicholson, to whom, I 

 believe, they were sent as vegetable galls. On hearing of the im- 

 portance of this discovery, Mr. Burkill made several expeditions to 

 the locality, obtaining a further supply of specimens, and also some 

 important information with regard to the local distribution of the 

 species. 



In his first, communication, dated May 22nd, 1902, he says the scale insect " was 

 on the trunks of three trees all near together, but not on some of the trees in 

 between these, and seemed to extend from about three to eight feet from the ground. 

 The trees were all of small size in development, the trunks being about ten 

 inches or slightly less in diameter, and the insects were to be found all round the 

 trunk, and not restricted to one special aspect. I should estimate the number at 

 about 100 to 200 on the three trees. My second visit, when I got the specimens 

 sent to you, was a very hurried one in a bad light, so there may be other trees 

 attacked that I was near but did not notice." In the second letter, dated June 18th, 

 Mr. Burkill adds, " I have been to the locality the last three Sundays. * * * 

 There are a good number of trees infested ; I should think I have seen the old 

 skins of the insect on forty or more, but many likely looking trees in the same area 

 seem to be free, and where the trees are more exposed the insects seem to prefer the 

 south-east side, though a few specimens are on the opposite side. I have only been 

 able to find one male, and that disappeared on the way home." 



The material sent to me consisted, for the most part, of old dead 

 females containing the effete skins of the ova ; but a careful exami- 

 nation of the crevices of the bark revealed three immature females 

 enveloped in wax and woolly filaments ; and there were also two 

 empty male puparia attached to a small fragment of bark, from one 

 of which the male i-eferred to by Mr. Burkill ])robably emerged, and 

 subsequently escaped from his collecting box. 



