300 JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY [Vol. 6 



the tissues of the host, but is wadded up into one or several masses, 

 which may be found during the whole life of the pupa closely appressed 

 to the tip of the abdomen. 



Although the host is frequently still living and filled with moist 

 or even watery tissues when the Coccophagus is ready to issue, yet 

 the latter easily escapes, and is ready to fly away almost the moment 

 it emerges through the exit-hole. This fact is accomplished the more 

 readily inasmuch as the imprisoned pupa lies always closely pressed 

 to the dorsal derm of the host, with the soft tissues pushed to one side, 

 and since the newly transformed imago is always completely enshrouded 

 in the larval exuvia until it gnaws its way out into the open air. These 

 larval and pupal habits of hinulatus are evidently adaptive specializa- 

 tions to prevent the occurrence of desiccation, since the pupse most 

 frequently die if the host is removed from the twig and allowed to 

 dry up. 



Coccophagus hinulatus was described from California, and is not yet 

 known to occur elsewhere. Its specialized habits for living in a semi- 

 arid climate point to California as its native home. 



The Hyperparasites of the Soft Scale 



Of the hyperparasites mentioned above, we have already spoken 

 of one, Coccophagus lecanii, which is usually and essentially a primary 

 parasite. This is true also of Tomocera caUfornica, ordinarily a parasite 

 of the black scale, and once only reared as a secondary of Microterys 

 flavus. This unique record must be considered more as an indication 

 of the versatility of this species than of anything else. Perissopterus 

 javensis has been reared as a parasite of Microterys flavus and Coc- 

 cophagus lecanii. It may be therefore a tertiary parasite at times 

 and one individual has been recently reared which was actually of 

 this class, having attacked a Coccophagus that in turn had destroyed 

 the larva of Microterys. It is probably never a primary parasite in 

 connection with the soft scale, and its value as a parasite of the other 

 recorded hosts is open to doubt. This Perissopterus was described by 

 Dr. Howard from Java, and its occurrence in California is noteworthy. 

 As it has been found only at Sacramento, near the State Insectary, 

 it has been presumably introduced. The Pachyneuron sp. was reared 

 only on one occasion and is not at all common in connection with the 

 soft scale. Its larva like that of Perissopterus is an external feeder. 



The remaining hyperparasites are all Encyrtines of the tribe Mirini, 

 and all are obligatory in this role of parasitism. They are in connec- 

 tion with the soft scale internal parasites of Microterys or sometimes 

 Aphycus, other members of the same subfamih^ and tribe. In this 

 group of hyperparasites par excellence fall the two species of Eusemion, 



