50 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [February, 



Lecanium caryae Fitch. 



By Geo. B. King, Ivawrence, Mass. 



There seems to be considerable confusion about Fitch's Le- 

 canium carycc. This original description is "Fixed to the bark 

 of the small limbs a large, very convex oval scale of a black 

 color fading to chestnut-brown, in May, dusted over with a 

 white powder. Length often .40 by .25 in width." The type 

 specimens have apparently been destroyed, at least they can- 

 not now be found. The confusion seems to have arizen from 

 a species sent by Fitch to Signoret, who took it to be L. carj'ce, 

 and described it as having a six-jointed antennae, wnth the 

 third joint verj^ long and the female scale 6 mm. long. It is 

 quite evident that this could not be Fitch's L. caryce, as his 

 scale was 10 mm. long and 6 V2 broad. 



What I take to be L. caryce is a species which I have found 

 on pignut hickory, wild red cherry, and once on white oak ; 

 the same species has just recently been sent me by Dr. 

 Fletcher, found on peach at Niagara, Ont. Some of these 

 scales were of the same size as Fitch's, while others were some- 

 what larger. The following is a description of them : 9 scale 

 very large, ii>2 mm. long, (^Yz broad, 3)^ high; dark red- 

 brown ; soft, w^hile on the limbs in May, and more or less cov- 

 ered with a white power ; anal cleft i//^ mm. long. Antennae 

 stout, distinctl}' seven jointed. The measurements are in mi- 

 cromillimeters. Antennal joints (i) 28, (2) 28, (3) 92, (4) 

 40, (5) 20, (6) 24, (7j 40. Width (i) 80, (2) 72, (3) 44, 

 (4) 40, (5) 32, (6) 28, (7) 24. The number of hairs on the 

 several joints seem to be variable and they generally point longi- 

 tudinally. The first joint seems to have two ; the second, one 

 long one ; the fifth, one very long ; the sixth, two, short ; and 

 the seventh seems to have eight. Marginal spines 44 long and 8 

 broad at the base, points sharp, spaces between each two ad- 

 jacent spines about 60. The derm become quite clear when 

 boiled in caustic potash, and shows gland pits of two sizes, 

 with the usual other markings found in the subgenus Euleca- 

 nium. This species should be easily recognized by its stout 7r 

 jointed antennae, and the very large size of the scale, being 

 the largest species found. Habitat, North America. 



