48 



tralia (Maskell), Formosa (Maskell), India (Maskell), England 

 (Newstead), Japan (Craw and Cockerell), and California (Cockerell). 

 In Part II., of his " Coccidae of Ceylon," p. 1 1 1, Green states that this 

 is one of the most widely distributed species of the genus (meaning 

 the genus Chionaspis in its widest sense) found in Ceylon. He also 

 states in the same paragraph that it is a common greenhouse pest 

 in Europe. I have taken this insect on various species of ferns in 

 the greenhouses of the Department of Agriculture at Washington, 

 D. C. Though reported from only two places in the United States, 

 Washington, D. C., and California, it is probable that the species 

 occurs in greenhouses in many other localities in this country. 



This species was originally described from specimens on Aspidis- 

 tra and an unknown plant. Maskell recorded it on Orchia, Areca 

 catechu and Thea. Green took it on Acacia melanoxylon, Strobilan- 

 thus viscosus. Capparis moorrii, Amcmum, Ficus, Cyanotus, Crotou, 

 Alocasia, Pothos. Gaultheria fragrans, Cocos plumosa, Helichonia 

 metallica, "Pepper" and "Mango." Cockerell found it on 

 " Orange " and various authors have taken it on different species of 

 cultivated ferns. 



This species has never been regarded as particularly destructive 

 except in India and Ceylon where Mr. E. Cotes and Mr. E. E. Green 

 have found it to be of considerable economic importance. Mr. 

 Cotes writing in Indian Museum Notes, Vol. II., No. i, p. 17(1891;, 

 states that examples were received from Mr. Marshall Woodrow of 

 Poona which had been taken from Suparee nut palm, Areca catechu, 

 in Janjira State, on the coast, about eighty miles south of Bombay. 

 It was estimated that the productiveness of the affected trees had 

 been reduced to one-tenth the usual amount. The trees had been 

 suffering from attacks by this insect for twenty-five years and had 

 been especially injured during the last six or seven years. The 

 insects were determined as aspidistrae by Mr. Maskell. Green says, 

 " The colonies are often very extensive and this species must be 

 considered a distinctly injurious one. I have frequently seen young 

 Areca palms in which every frond was covered on both sides with 

 the insects, the fronds appearing yellow instead of green, from the 

 multitude of discolored spots, each one of which marks the position 

 of one of the insects." 



The only natural enemy of aspidistrae of which I have found any 

 record is the Coccinellid beetle, Chilocorus circumdatus, which Mr. 



