100 Transactions. — Zoology. 



the tarsus much curved ; on the trochanter is a long hair ; 

 digitule of the claw only a short bristle. Abdomen termi- 

 nating in a nearly smooth curve, from which spring six longish 

 setas ; anal ring large and simple. The epidermis bears small 

 circular multilocular spinnerets which are scanty on the me- 

 dian region but numerous near the margins, as in the adult ; 

 they are interspersed with short fine hairs with tubercular 

 bases. 



Hab. In Australia (Botany Bay), on Goodenia ovata. 



Mr. Froggatt, in September, 1893, sent me a number of 

 Coccids collected by him near Sydney. Amongst them were 

 several specimens which were very clearly some species of 

 Icerya, and on examining them I was much surprised to find 

 that in all respects (except one) those of them which were adult 

 were identical with Mr. Douglas's species originally reported 

 from Egypt. The exception was the size : Mr. Douglas gives his 

 as lin. ; mine are all about jV^^- > ^^^ ^^^i^ discrepancy is of 

 no importance in comparison with the other characters, which 

 are identical. The dorsal white waxy matter, the irregular 

 white fringe of projecting cottony processes, the form of the 

 eleven antennal joints, the rostrum, the feet and digitules, the 

 compound spinnerets, which are more numerous near the 

 margins than on the median region, the terminal hairs and 

 anal ring, the colour, and the larva agree entirely with speci- 

 mens of I. agyptiaca sent to me by Mr. Douglas. I htive 

 therefore no hesitation in considering these Australian insects 

 as identical with those from Egypt. The difference of size is, 

 as I said, unimportant ; and, as none of my specimens has 

 formed an ovisac, it is possible that they may not have 

 reached their full development. 



The question now arises. What is the native country of 

 this Icerya ? Neither Mr. Douglas nor Messrs. Eiley and 

 Howard (who treat oil. cBgyptiacain " Insect Life," November, 

 1890) suggests that it originated in Egypt. Mr. Newstead has 

 had specimens from IMadras, and it is interesting to note that 

 these were accompanied by parasites. If the presence of 

 parasites can be taken as an indication of endemic origin, this 

 Icerya may perhaps be Indian. On receiving my speci- 

 mens from Mr. Froggatt I was inclined to think, from the 

 locality whence they came (Botany, near Sydney), that they 

 might have been taken tliere on plants by passengers in 

 steamers who might have stayed awhile at Cairo or Alexan- 

 dria. But Mr. Froggatt afterwards told me that, although 

 " the district was a settled one, with old orchards within a mile 

 or so," the insects were found "quite in the bush, and pretty 

 plentiful." No parasites accompanied the specimens, which 

 were very lively, and, indeed, lived for a couple of weeks after 

 they reached me. There is a rather large trade in horses from 



