312 Transactions. — Zoology. 



this colour and become whitish. As usual in the species, the 

 males and females were on different twigs. 



Lecanium mirificum, sp. nov. Plate XX., figs. 7-14. 



Adult female dark-brown or yellowish-brown, but in the 

 latest stage covered with a thin fragmentary coat of greyish, 

 rather greasy wax. Form very convex, with a subcircular or 

 subelliptical margin, the height in some specimens equal to 

 two-thirds of the length. The size varies : early adults may 

 average about ^in. in length at the base, with a width of ^in. ; 

 fully-developed specimens reach a length of ^in., with a width 

 of l^in., and a height of :^in. The margin all round is some- 

 what flattened. The grey waxy secretion is not homogeneous, 

 but composed of small adjacent greasy lumps. At the apex of 

 the dorsum there are two rows of rather deep subcircular 

 pits, the normal number of which is six, but some specimens 

 exhibit only four. The abdominal cleft is normal, the dorsal 

 lobes very small. On turning over an adult it is seen to be 

 hollow, the cavity being filled with egg-shells. The antennae 

 have nine joints, of which the third is the longest, then the 

 last, then the fourth and second, the rest being short and sub- 

 equal ; the first eight are cylindrical, the ninth irregularly 

 fusiform. The feet, in the early adult stage, are moderately 

 long ; in the latest stage the two posterior pairs become some- 

 what atrophied ; they present no special features : the four 

 digitules are fine hairs. Mentum subglobular, moiiomerous. 

 Anogenital ring with eight strong hairs. The margin of the 

 body bears a row of shortish blunt spines. Epidermis bearing 

 many small circular spinneret orifices, which are most 

 numerous near the abdominal lobes ; also grea,t numbers of 

 conspicuous irregularly-oval markings (as in L. olece), which 

 apparently assist in the production of the dorsal wax. In 

 mounted specimens of adult females the six apical pits may be 

 clearly distinguished. 



The second stage of the female is, in its early period, 

 flattisb, with aii inconspicuous median longitudinal elevation, 

 later it becomes more convex, and the dorsal apical pits ap- 

 pear. The colour is a rich-brown, dotted with yellowish small 

 spots. Some specimens exhibit traces of thin disconnected 

 dorsal wax. The length varies with age from about l-in to Jin., 

 the width from YoVa. to ^in. The margin is flattened and 

 bears short spines, which usually carry small coverings. of 

 white wax. The antennae have eight joints, of which the 

 sixth and seventh are the shortest, the third the longest : on 

 the last are several hairs. Feet as in the adult, but the tarsus 

 is quite as long as the tibia. Anal cleft and lobes, spinnerets, 

 and oval markings as in the adult. 



The newly-hatched larva has not been observed, but the 



