18S5.: jgjj 



From greenhouses I have : — 



Pulvinaria camellicola, Sign. As Dr. Signoret says, the scale falls off and leaves 

 the cottony mass enveloping the eggs, which increases and forms a conspicuous 

 white linear object, half an inch in length, adherent to the under-side of the leaf 

 of camellias. 



P. vitis, Linn., from vines at Hertford. 



Lecanium hesperidum, common on and injurious to orange trees. Signoret says 

 (Ess. Cochin., p. 229), "Jamais nous n'avons pu trouver de males, et nous 

 n'avons pas vu non plus de description le concernant." Comstock says (Report 

 188u, p. 335), " The male of this species has never been found, although it has 

 been studied from the time of Linnaeus down. The species is viviparous." 

 There is no doubt it is agamous, at least for many generations. Shaw, however, 

 says (G-en. ZooL, vi, 190), "The male is a very small two-winged fly." This 

 he represents on pi. 60, but it is not recognisable as a Coccid. The figure of 

 the female certainly does not represent this species ; it is more like the $ scale 

 of Lecanium olece, which, according to Signoret, is sometimes found on orange 

 trees and other plants ; but the male is unknown. There is every reason, 

 therefore, to believe that Shaw's figures are not applicable to L. hesperidtim. 



I have also two species of Lecanium^ found on cultivated ferns, 

 that I am yet unable to recognise ; and one from Sida ahufilon. 



Stephens, in his " Catalogue of British Insects," gives the names 

 of many species, of which no recent record of their occurrence in 

 Britain exists, and it is very desirable that the statement should be 

 verified. Such species are : — 



Lecanium qnercus, L., on oaks. Pulvinaria betulce, L., on beech. P. carpini, 

 L., on hornbeam. Gossyparia ulmi, L., and Lecanium ulmi, L., on elms. 



Several other species enumerated and described by Signoret in 

 his " Essai " I believe are naturalized in Britain, aud only await the 

 hunter. 



I may hereafter have to offer some observations on some of the 

 unresolved points contained, alluded to or inferred in the foregoing 

 notes, but in case the opportunity fails me, I think it is desirable thus 

 to bring the Coccidce under the notice of the coming men, as offering 

 a field for research not surpassed in interest by any Order of insects ; 

 and not difficult to work in when once the proper method is acquired. 

 The chief things to be borne in mind by investigators are that the 

 greater part of the males of the species appear in the spring (April 

 and May, some perhaps earlier), and that the males afford the most 

 salient characters for distinguishing species. Ars longa vita brevis est. 



8, Beaufort Gardens, Lewisham : 

 October 14th, 1885. 



-p.S.— November 17th.— 1 have this day found at Lee : 

 Ckionaspis aceris, Sign., on maple trees. 



