GOOSEBERKY AND CURRANT SCALE. 109 



the body green with black points; at the last moult it loses the 

 black tubercles, and becomes of a bright green colour, yellowish 

 behind the head and on the last segment." — (P. C.) 



When young, and at the final moult, the caterpillars much 

 resemble those of N. ribesii, but (intermediately) comparison of 

 description will show that there are characteristic difl'erences. 



The sawfly is given (see references in note, p. 108) by Mr. 

 Cameron as 3-3^ lines in length ; nearly one-quarter less in 

 length than that of N. ribesii, which is 3-4 lines. 



The head is black, roughly punctured, covered with short 

 pale down ; portion of front of face (clypeus) white ; antennae 

 black, more or less dull brown on the under side ; thorax 

 black, pale fulvous in front ; abdomen pale fulvous, basal half 

 black above ; legs also pale fulvous, but with various markings 

 of black and white. The above are a few of the main points 

 observable in typical specimen as described at length by Mr. 

 Cameron with notes of variations in colouring. 



There is considered to be only one brood yearly in this 

 country, and the cocoon is stated to be spun in the ground ; 

 but in the observations sent me from Longleat, Mr. Taylor 

 mentioned that, unless the locality was just under the surface 

 close to a wall or other dry place, he considered that the 

 caterpillar preferred nail-holes in a wall, or holes in wood, for 

 spinning up its cocoons. 



Prevention and Eemedy. — The means are the same as 

 those for the common Gooseberry Sawfly, and from the great 

 similarity of the caterpillars of the two kinds, this species 

 may very likely often be present together with N. ribesii with- 

 out the difference being noticed. 



Gooseberry and Currant Scale. Lecanium rlbis, Fitch. 



For several years preceding 1893 notes were sent to me 

 from time to time, with specimens accompanying, of a brown 

 scale insect which was found to infest branches of Gooseberry 

 bushes to an injurious extent. It was not, however, until 

 that year (1893) that, through the assistance of Mr. J. W. 

 Douglas, F.E.S., I was able to ascertain the precise species 

 of this Lecanium. 



On the 7th of March Mr. Douglas wrote me as follows 

 regarding the specimens which I had forwarded to him for 

 examination: — "The scales on the Gooseberry are certainly 

 Lecanium ribis, Fitch. They are familiar to me, for when I 

 lived in Beaufort Gardens they were gregarious on the Pied 

 Currant bushes, and sometimes on the White Currant ; but I 



