78 Miscellaneous. 



These two species, where they occur, infest many kinds of culti- 

 vated trees and shrubs, and are quite noticeable. Up to the present 

 time neither has been detected in the United States, although if 

 introduced they might probably manage to exist in the extreme 

 south. Both probably are spreading through human means. A. ar- 

 ticulatus probably originated in South America ; but A. personalis 

 is more likely a native of the Greater Antilles, its absence in Trinidad 

 favouring this supposition. 



Aspidiotus ficus, Riley MS., Ashm., abounds in Jamaica, and is 

 also known from Cuba and Florida. It is likewise common at Vera 

 Cruz, Mexico. Probably it is a native of the Greater Antilles, but 

 possibly of Mexico ; it has apparently been taken to Japan, whence 

 it was brought to California, according to Mr. Craw. It does not 

 appear to occur yet in the Lesser Antilles, Trinidad, or Demerara. 

 It is against its being of Mexican origin that I could not find it on 

 oranges sold in that country, except at Vera Cruz, which is a most 

 likely place for any scale to be imported. Mr. H. Tryon reports it 

 from Australia. 



This, like the two before mentioned, feeds on many plants. It 

 seems probable that unless means are taken to prevent their intro- 

 duction into various countries on plants all three are destined to 

 become universal in the tropics. Any one who has seen them in 

 Kingston, Jamaica, where they all abound in the same locality, will 

 appreciate the undesirability of this from an agricultural and horti- 

 cultural point of view. 



Aspidiotus aurantii, Mask., has a very curious distribution: 

 Australia, Tahiti, California, New Zealand, South Europe, and the 

 West Indies. Who shall say where it originally came from ? But 

 the curious thing about it is that in Jamaica it is not found on 

 citrus-trees, but principally on lignum-vitse (Ghiaiacum), occasionally 

 also on cycas * (at King's House) and areca. Its place on the citrus- 

 trees in Jamaica is occupied by A. articulatus. 



Aspidiotus punico', Ckll., presents another instance of difference of 

 food-plant according to locality. In Jamaica it is found principally 

 on pomegranate, never, so far as I know, on coconut ; but in 

 Dominica Mr. Barber found it infesting the coconut-palm, just in 

 the way that Aulacaspis Boisduvalii infests it in Jamaica. 



A fact that should not be lost sight of is that tropical Coccidae 

 may be taken from one side of the world to the other, via hothouses 

 in temperate climates. It is wonderful what a lot of interesting 

 forms have turned up in hothouses in Europe. Signoret mentions 

 no less than forty-eight found in such situations, and Douglas and 

 Newstead have recorded several from greenhouses in England, the 

 most recent addition being Pseudinglisia rodriguezicr, Newst., which 

 appears to be referable to my genus Concliaspis. Some time ago I 

 wrote to Kew, urging that an entomologist should be appointed to 

 inspect the plants distributed by that institution to all parts of the 

 world. Mr. D. Morris kindly replied in great detail, stating that at 

 Kew they took all possible care, and that probably private importers 



* [Mr. Cockerell subsequently wrote us that this is not A. aurantii, but 

 probably A. dictyos2iermi ) Morg. — Eds. of 'Insect Life.'] 



