Maskell. — On Coccidge. 321 



When I first received these specimens I thought (and so 

 informed Mr. Lounsbm-y) that they would prove to be a 

 variety of Dactylopius calceolarice, Mask., an insect which 

 has been found attacking sugar-cane in Piji and in the West 

 Indies. But after carefully examining them again with a 

 view to this paper I am convinced that they are Dactylopius 

 sacchari, Cockerell, first reported on sugar-cane in Trinidad. 

 Mr. Cockerell received his specimens in alcohol, and there- 

 fore makes no mention of the lateral cottony tassels which 

 this species, like most of the genus, exhibits, and which are 

 clear in my specimens. These tassels appear to be, on the 

 average, fourteen on each side, those on the abdomen rather 

 the longest. In length and colour the insects agree with 

 D. sacchari ; also in the seven-jointed antenna, in the relative 

 lengths of the joints, in the hairs on the trochanter, in the 

 digitules, and in other characters. 



I regret that Mr. Cockerell makes no mention of the larva. 

 In this stage the insect is reddish-brown or yellowish-brown, 

 flatfish, elliptical, segmented ; length, about eVin. The 

 antennae are long and thick, of six joints, which may easily 

 be taken for four ; the sixth is much the longest, fusiform, 

 with several hairs; the fourth and fifth are the shortest. 

 Feet also long and thick; tarsus one-third longer than the 

 tibia ; digitules all fine hairs. Anal tubercles very incon- 

 spicuous and small, with some moderate hairs. 



I do not know the male. 



Apart from its size (both adult and larva being very much 

 smaller) this insect differs sufficiently from D. calceolaricB to 

 form a valid species. The characters of the antennae and 

 the feet are quite distinct, and may be relied on for separa- 

 tion. Mr. Cockerell says that D. sacchari in Trinidad is 

 "not seriously harmful"; and, as remarked above, perhaps 

 the same may be the case in Mauritius. The real " Pou 

 blanc " which does the mischief will be the leery a. 



In Mr. Lounsbury's letter to me he mentions that speci- 

 mens of this species had been sent to Miss Ormerod, who had 

 forwarded them to Washington. In " Insect Life " (a journal 

 whose demise I for one very deeply regret), vol. vii., p. 430, I 

 see that " Miss Ormerod sent specimens of Coccidce from the 

 Oriental Estates Company, in Mauritius. One proves to be 

 Icerya sacchari . . . upon sugar-cane, however, was found 

 another Coecid, which proves to be a species, probably new, of 

 the genus Westivoodia." At the same time some doubt is 

 expressed whether this Westwoodia might not have been 

 mistaken for an insect on guava, sent with the others. In 

 any case it cannot be that the phrase just quoted refers to 

 our insect. Westwoodia has antennae of eight joints, not only 

 in the adult female, but also in the larva. Whether, indeed, 

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