12 THE FEMALE. 



abnormal exotic genus, all are furnished with com- 

 paratively large mouth parts, of the same structural 

 design as exists in the larvae, and they feed by suction, 

 as all other Homoptera. 



In the sub-family Diaspinx the females are flat and 

 pyriform in shape, resembling somewhat a compressed 

 "top;" they are also invariably apodous, have quite 

 rudimentary antennae, and the eyes usually represent CM! 

 by coloured patches of pigment. All the species of 

 this sub -family cover their bodies with a shield, com- 

 posed partly of secreted matter and partly of moulted 

 skins. Certain species possess the power of burrow- 

 ing beneath the epidermal layer of the food-plant 

 a habit strongly developed in Chiojiaspis biclavis, which 

 completely buries itself and its shield beneath the 

 thick epidermal layer of the branches of the plants 

 which it infests. Under the shield-like covering 

 (puparium) generally known as the " scale " the 

 female lays her eggs and dies, leaving the space 

 her body once occupied filled with her progeny. 



The genus Conchaspis has a covering scale very 

 similar in design to those described above, but it is 

 composed entirely of secreted matter, the moulted 

 skins not being employed in its structure. The 

 females are also more highly organised, possessing 

 both antennae and legs. The only species found in 

 this country was probably imported on orchids from 

 the West Indies. 



The Lecaniinae includes the common " brown scales " 

 (Lecanium, spp.), so abundantly distributed throughout 

 the world. Our indigenous species are somewhat 

 generally distributed, while those infesting cultivated 

 plants and fruits are, for the most part, universal 

 pests. With the exception of L. minimum, Newst.. 

 they are comparatively large insects, varying from the 

 flat ovate or subpyriform L. perforatum, Newst., 

 through every grade of convexity to the hemispherical 

 //. hemisph&ricum, Targ.-Tozz. They are rarely, if 

 ever, active after the larval moult and never so after 



