LECANIUM PERSIC^E. < ): > 



seen migrating in autumn ; those fixed upon the leaves 

 usually fall away and perish ; they hibernate as full- 

 fed larvae, and are scarcely visible to the naked eye. 

 Moulting takes place in spring, and the insects rapidly 

 approach maturity. The species is very prolific, over 

 2000 eggs being laid by an average-sized female. The 

 females are agamic in this country, and generally so 

 abroad, Bouche and Ribaga being the only authorities 

 who have observed the males in any stage. 



Distribution. Apparently of European origin. It 

 has been recorded from Germany (Cockerell and Reh) ; 

 France ; Hungary (R. Rohant and Dr. Sulc) ; Italy, 

 on Corylus (Berlese) ; Melbourne, Australia (Maskell) ; 

 and? New Zealand, on Vitis (Maskell). The food- 

 plants given by Ribaga are : Vitis vinifera, Morus alba y 

 M. nigra, Prunus persica, Amygdalus com munis, Pyrus 

 mains, Prunns domestica, P. insititia, and Ficus carica ; 

 King and Reh add Prunus armenica, Robinia pseuda- 

 cacia, Spiraea sp., smdLonicera sp., which shows that it is 

 a general feeder, and by no means confined to the peach. 



Having examined a long series of insects from the- 

 various food-plants in this country, and also some from 

 the continent of Europe, I have come to the conclusion 

 that L. vini and L. rosarum are inseparable from 

 L. persicss. L. assimile, Newstead, must also sink, as I 

 find on re-examination that it is undoubtedly L.persicae. 

 With regard to L. berberidis, L. rugosum, and L. wistaria, 

 I have little doubt in my own mind but that they also 

 are referable to L. persicse. Dr. Sulc, who has seen 

 Signoret's types, informs me that externally they are 

 inseparable ; and hearing also that Signoret's micro- 

 scopical preparations are extremely poor and in many 

 cases useless, I attach very little importance to his 

 description of the number and relative length of the 

 antennal joints. With badly prepared or even un- 

 stained mounts it is often impossible to tell the true 

 articulations from constrictions ; it is easy to conceive, 

 therefore, how Signoret may have erred in drawing up 

 his diagnosis of the above insects. 



