10 THE MALE. 



instrument, when the flight was somewhat midge -like 

 and sustained. 



In a state of nature rain must have a very fatal 

 effect upon these tiny creatures, as in captivity a drop 

 of moisture or a moist piece of glass almost imme- 

 diately entangles them, and from which I have never 

 seen them able to extricate themselves. Sunlight and 

 dry weather would, therefore, seem essential to them. 

 Mytilaspis pomorum and Aidacaspis rozse are very 

 active in the sunshine; while the males of Dactylopiu* 

 and Pseudococcus are comparatively sluggish, and will 

 sometimes remain for hours in the same position. 



Occasionally this sex preponderates, and this espe- 

 cially so with Ohionaspis salicis (PL D, fig. IB); but, 

 as a rule, male Coccids are considerably in the minor it \ . 

 Some occur annually, while Others do so only at inter- 

 vals of many years, and numbers of them are still 

 unknown. 



Not the least remarkable fact is the occurrence of 

 the males of Mytilaspis pomorum. on certain food- 

 plants, while they are altogether absent from others. 

 For instance, the males occur freely upon broom 

 (Qystisus scoparius), heath (Erica, spp.), and bilberry 

 (Vaccinium myrtillus) ; while colonies upon apple 

 trees in this district (Cheshire) have not produced a 

 single male for the last ten years. The absence of tlie 

 males of M. pomorum on apple and other plants is 

 quite universal. The late Mr. Maskell, during many 

 years of close and continued observation, never met 

 with this sex in New Zealand ; indeed, so rare has the 

 male been in other countries that it has only once or 

 twice been met with. Is it possible the food-plant 

 can have anything to do with the production of the 

 males? The species is undoubtedly partial to the 

 apple, and is found more abundantly upon it than any- 

 thing else ; while broom, heath, and bilberry are only 

 occasionally attacked ! 



The times of appearance of the males vary according 

 to the species. The earliest to appear are those of a 



