98 ASPIDIOTUS ZONATUS. 



formed by the end of the summer. The male larvjv 

 fix themselves upon the under sides of the oak leaves, 

 generally near the ribs ; the females invariably upon 

 the branches, near the tips, behind the bud scales, or 

 on the thicker branches, far away from their partners. 

 The males begin to appear about the last week in 

 August, and few are seen after the first week in 

 September. The surviving females hybernate through- 

 out the winter, no apparent change taking place until 

 spring, when the body increases in size, shrivels during 

 gestation, and the insect dies. The females slightly 

 predominate, and I imagine are often parthenogenel ic, 

 as many examples fix themselves in quite inaccessible 

 places. The females are frequently parasitised, but I 

 have not been fortunate 1 in rearing the parasite. 



During the winter months, when insects are com- 

 paratively scarce, this species is Freely eaten by certain 

 insectivorous birds. See chapter on " Natural Knemies 

 of the Coccidse," pp. 33- 41. 



EXPLANATION <>r TIIK PLATES. 



PI. VI, fig. 1. Puparium of adult female covered with 



sooty deposit ; larval exuviae naked. X --V 

 Fig. 2. Puparia of immature females as Found 



behind the bud-scales in autumn. X 25. 

 Fig. 3. Adult female at period of gestation, x ; > : >- 

 Fig. 4. Puparium of the male on portion of oak 



leaf. X 25. 

 Fig. 5. Male. X 50. 



Fig. 6. Apical joint of male antennae. X 000. 

 Fig. 7. Tarsus and claw of male. X 000. 

 Fig. 8. Male puparia, natural si/e, /// *///! on under 



side of oak leaf. 

 Fig. 9. Puparia of the female, natural size, in ///? 



on oak branch. 



PI. VII, fig. 1. Pygidium of adult female. X 2o<). 

 PL XII, fig. 2. .Margin of pjgidium of adult female. 



X 600. 



