ERIOCOCCUS INSIGNIS. 199 



Long, 2-3 mm. 



Ovisac of female (figs. 1, 1 a, marked ? ) very closely 

 felted and tough ; white at first, but changing to 

 ochreous or pale straw-colour with age ; elongate, low 

 convex, posterior half distinctly segmented in some 

 individuals; abdominal extremity with a very small 

 opening. 



Long, 3*50-5 mm.; wide, 1-1*75 mm. 



Second-stage female (fig. 2) very elongate, slightly 

 attenuated posteriorly, and distinctly segmented ; mar- 

 gins with long, closely-set, glassy spines; caudal 

 extremity with a pair of long hairs. Colour pale yellow. 



Ova pale yellow or straw-colour. 



Larva. The antennaB and anal lobes resemble those 

 of the adult insect. 



Male unknown. 



Habitat. Chiefly on grass (Agrostis vulgaris and 

 other Gramineas), upon which I believe it feeds almost 

 exclusively. Specimens have also been found on dock 

 (Rumex), gorse (Ulex europaeus), bracken fern (Pteris 

 aquilina), and occasionally on dead sticks lying among 

 grass. I have found it in company (on the same leaf) 

 with Eriopeltis festucw and Signoretia luzulde. It is 

 common at Ince, Cheshire, but I have found it very 

 sparingly elsewhere in the county. It occurs on the 

 Cotswolds between Leckhampton and Stroud; near 

 King's Lynn ; and at Orpington, Chislehurst, and 

 Bearsted (Green), in Kent. It is by no means an abun- 

 dant species, and requires a great deal of searching for. 



Specimens recorded by Mr. Douglas * under the 

 assumed name of Eriopeltis lichtensteinii, Sign, (pre- 

 viously E. festucse, Sign., nee Fonsc.), proved to be this 

 species (E. insignis), which is generically different from 

 that described by Signoret ('Essai,' p. 183, pi. viii, figs. 

 3, 3a-3/). 



Habits. The ovisacs are formed towards the end of 

 July, and the larvas hatch in the following spring. 



Distribution. Not recorded outside the British Isles. 



* ' Ent. Mo. Mag.,' vol. xxiv, p. 166. 



