THE ANNALS 
AND 
MAGAZINE OF NATURAL HISTORY. 
[SIXTH SERIES. } 
No. 92. AUGUST 1895, 
XVI.—WNotes on some Genera and Species of Coccide. 
By W. M. MAsKELt, New Zealand. 
1. The Genus Dactylopius. 
ABout seven miles from the town of Wellington, in New 
Zealand, is a flat valley, about 10 miles long and perhaps 2 
or 3 wide at the base, through which the lower part of the 
river Hutt flows into the head of Wellington Harbour. The 
land in this valley, which has been subject to innumerable 
overflows of the river, is very rich, and is mostly taken up 
by small farms or market gardens, and much fruit is grown 
there. During the summer of 1894-95 (September to March) 
the gooseberry-trees in these gardens and the grape-vines in 
the glasshouses were subject to a very annoying attack by an 
insect which was readily recognized as a “ mealy-bug,” but 
which had not previously appeared in such great numbers. 
After awhile the depredations of the insects became so bad 
and their numbers so large that quite a “scare” was pro- 
duced, and the usual talk began of applying to the govern- 
ment for assistance. Many fruit-growers used remedies in 
the form of sprayed liquids, but seemingly without much 
success ; and as | write the pest seems (from the accounts I 
have had) to be nearly as bad as ever. 
Specimens of the insects were submitted to me for identifi- 
cation, and I was particularly asked to say whether the insects 
Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Ser. 6. Vol. xvi. 9 
