Maskell. — On Coccididae. 75 



cell seems to be about the same — -g^^in. The outer band and 

 the central orifice are visible in all. Perhaps the cells of 

 L. hegonicB may be the darkest in colour. 



Looking, therefore, at the epidermis, it appears sufficiently- 

 clear that the three insects are identical, whilst in size, 

 colour, and generally convex form they also agree. Mr. 

 Douglas, indeed, says that some of his specimens of L. depres- 

 sum were greenish-yellow instead of brown ; but the difference 

 is not important. 



With regard to the antennae, I do not find any difference 

 between L. nigrum and L. deprcssum : the figures given by 

 both Signoret and Douglas agree, and so do my own speci- 

 mens. Both have eight joints, of which the third is the 

 longest. There is a difference, however, in L. hegonice, where 

 there are only seven joints. But Mr. Douglas specially re- 

 marks that in the fourth joint there is " a constriction simu- 

 lating a joint," and this " false joint " (as I have called it in 

 other Lecanids) seems quite enough to raise doubts as to any 

 definite separation of the insect from the others. 



As regards the feet, Signoret says of L. dcprcssum that the 

 digitules of the claw are dilated, and " one larger than the 

 other." Douglas says nothing of the foot of L, depressum. 

 As to L. nigrum, he says " digitules long, broad, much dilated"; 

 and of L. begonia, "digitules normal." I have not been able 

 to detect unequal digitules in L. depressum, and possibly 

 Signoret's specimen was exceptional in that respect. 



Taking, therefore, these important features — the epidermis, 

 the antenna, and the foot — it seems fairly clear that there is 

 no real difference between the three insects named — at least, 

 as far as concerns the adult female. The females of the 

 second stage appear to be equally similar. I have not observed 

 the larvae or the males, nor, I think, has anybody except 

 Mr. Green, who gives figures of the adult male, and of its 

 pupal waxy test, of L. nigrnm. Possibly L. begonicB may be 

 erected into a variety on account of its antenna, and L. de- 

 pressum on account of unequal digitules : but these are only 

 very doubtful differences, and the three must be considered 

 as really one species. Priority, as above-mentioned, deter- 

 mines that species to be L. nigrum, Nietner, although 

 Signoret, who first gave anything like a scientific description^ 

 might be thought to have a claim for L. depressum. 



Lecanmm mori, Signoret. Maskell, N.Z. Trans., vol. xvii., 

 1884, p. 29 ; Scale Insects of N.Z., 1887, p. 82. 

 I reported this insect in 1884 on Alsophila colensoi, but did 

 not give any detailed description. As it has been sent to me 

 during the past year on various other ferns, and as Signoret 

 in his original description (1873) made no mention of the larva 



