1 24 Chionaspis. 



Adult male bright orange red, a prominent dark spot on genae representing 

 the rudimentary eye. Form normal. Foot with three digitules, one on claw 

 and two on tarsus. 



Eggs and young larva {fig. 8) bright yellow. The eggs very numerous 

 {fig- 7). 



Habitat on upper surface of blades of 'Mana' grass, Aiidropogon nardus. 

 Common wherever this particular grass occurs. The snowy white puparia are 

 of themselves very conspicuous objects, but they are rendered still more so by 

 a dark purple discolouration of the tissues of the leaf immediately surrounding 

 them {fig. i). 



The typical form and the variety divergens are of almost equally common 

 occurrence in the same localities. The two forms are absolutely indistinguish- 

 able except by microscopic examination. 



Large numbers of the insects are destroyed by minute hymenopterous 

 parasites, the pup^e of which, from one to three in number, may be found 

 beneath the scale, with their heads always directed in the opposite direction to 

 that of the host. The parasites have been examined by Prof L. O. Howard, 

 who finds three distinct species affecting this one scale insect, viz., Encyrtus 

 chionaspidis, How., Anthevms chio7jaspidis, How., and Aphelinus viytilaspidis 

 LeB. 



EXPLANATION OF PLATE XXXVHL 



Chionaspis graminis. 



{All figures, except No. i, more or less enlarged.) 



Fig. I. Piece of ' Mana ' grass, with insects in situ, nat. size. 



2. Female puparium, with reddish pellicle. 



3. Adult female, dorsal view. 



4. Male puparium, with brownish pellicle. 



5. „ „ „ powdery covering. 



6. „ „ „ pale pellicle. 



7. Female puparium, from below, showing insect and ova. 



8. Newly hatched larva. 



9. Pygidium of female, var. divergens. 



10. „ ,, typical form. 



11. Female puparium, of second stage. 



12. „ „ from below, showing ventral scale intact. 



13. „ „ from above, with pale pellicles. 



