28 



The following description of the genus and species to which this interest- 

 ing parasite belongs is taken from " Insect Life."* It was written by Dr. 

 Williston for Professor Riley. The cut has been procured through the 

 courtesy of the last named gentleman: 



Lestophonns, new genus. 



Front, broad plane, with .scarcely di.stinguishable hairs in upper part; antenna large, the 

 first two joints short; the third two or three times as long as broad, reaching quite to the 

 oval margin; arista wanting; face flattened, or gently concave: thorax without bristles; 

 scutellum large, about half as long as the thorax, convex ; abdomen short, ovate, rather 

 broad, composed of five segments; thinly and bristly hairy; legs rather short and strong; 

 middle tibiee, with a minute and indistinct spur at the top; all the tibia^ without erect 

 bristles on the outer side before the tip; wings short and broad; auxiliary vein wholly 

 wanting; first longitudinal vein first terminating at the basal third, the costal vein at the 

 tip of the third longitudinal; second and third longitudinal veins nearly parallel; the 

 fourth vein gently divergent; penultimate section of the fourth vein, a little shorter than 

 the ultimate section of the fifth; second basal cell and the discal cell united; anal ceU dis- 

 tinct. 



Notwithstanding the presence of the anal cell, the present species must, I believe, be 

 located with the oscinidse. The absence of distinct bristles on the front, or, indeed, else- 

 where on the body, will prevent its location with drosophilinge. In all the four specimens 

 that I have examined, the arista seems entirely wanting. I cannot attribute its absence 

 to injury. This remarkable character, together "with the absence of the anterior basal cross 

 vein and auxiliary vein, and the very large third antennal joint, will, I believe, render the 

 genus easily recognizable. I can find the description of no genus that will apply, and I have 

 but little or no hesitancy in describing it as new. Modillus, from Europe and Africa, seems 

 to be its nearest relative. 



Lestophonns icerya, new species. 



Female, 1.1 mm.; face, front; dorsum of thorax and scutellum deep blue, moderately 

 shining; antenna, black oblong, with rounded ends; abdomen punctulate, deep shining 

 green, in some specimens more or less blue; legs dark brown, or blackish brown; front 

 tarsi more lutescent, or brownish yellow; veins grayish hyaline, the veins dark brown. 



REMEDIES. 



There is no species of insects existing in this State on which so many 

 different remedies have been tried, and some of the simplest have proved 

 the best. 



Caustic solutions have the disadvantage of hurting the tree, and are not 

 especially adapted to penetrate into the egg-sac, which on account of its 

 peculiar texture repels most liquids. 



Various soap solutions, some containing kerosene and some whale oil, 

 have proved fair remedies, but can in my opinion not be equaled by the 



*" Insect Life" is a periodical published under the direction of the United States Ento- 

 mologist, Professor C. V. Riley. 



