Maskell. — 0)1 CoccidaB. 325 



Larva not observed. 



Adult male unknown. 



Hah. In Western Australia, on (?). Mr. Lea has sent me 

 many specimens from the Darling Eanges, and says, "Com- 

 mon all over south-west Australia, in the vicinity of swampy 

 ground." 



As regards the insect itself, this species is much like most 

 others of the genus, simply a bag containing larvae. The 

 marginal bands distinguish it somewhat, but the principal 

 feature is the very curious and decidedly pretty test, quite 

 unlike anything else known to me. 



This is the species from which I bred a parasite, which Dr. 

 L. O. Howard has made the type of a new Hymenopterous 

 genus, under the ivaxne Anysis australiensis . At the time when 

 I sent him the insect I had not determined exactly the genus 

 of the Coccid host, thinking that perhaps it might be allied 

 to Eriococcus. I have since made up my mind on the point, 

 as above. 



Sphaerococcus socialis, sp. nov. Plate XXII., figs. 1-7. 



Insects inhabiting galls attached to twigs. The galls are 

 globular, of a greyish or greyisb-green colour; the size varies, 

 some being scarcely larger than a large pin's head, others 

 reaching a diameter of ^in. The outer surface is formed of 

 very closely imbricated scales, which are apparently aborted 

 and coalesced leaves of the tree. The structure of the gall is 

 not hard, solid, or woody, but loose, and on cutting it open 

 there is seen to be a central shaft from which others more 

 slender branch off in every direction, the ends of these 

 expanded in small fan-shaped or cordate recurved plates, the 

 imbrication of which forms the outer wall of the gall. Ic 

 results from this arrangement that the interior of the gall 

 consists of a number of hollow cells, which contain the 

 Coccids ; these cells and the central shaft are covered with 

 a coating of white meal. A gall may contain several adult 

 female Coccids, besides some male pupae in sacs, and many 

 larvae, each gall forming, in fact, a complete colony of 

 families. There is no orifice visible on the outside at any 

 part. 



Adult female dark-red, globular; diameter, about ^^oin. 

 Individuals which have been parasitised are white. The 

 antennae are very small and atrophied, and seem to have only 

 one, or two, joints, with some fine hairs at the tip. Feet 

 entirely absent. Eostrum rather large, mentum doubtfully 

 dimerous. Spiracles large, tubular. At the abdominal ex- 

 tremity is a very small simple hairless aiiogenital ring, with 

 six very short fine marginal setae near it. On the dorsum the 

 segments are marked by transverse rows of very fine short 



