108 



outward similarity to the females of Porphyrojjliora^ Guerinia, 

 &c., probably the eleven-jointed antennae has been taken for 

 granted. The males of several species of Monophlebus are de- 

 scribed, chiefly as inhabiting the East Indies. In Cfjelostoma, an 

 allied New Zealand genus, the antennae have undoubtedly eleven 

 joints ; so also in leery a. As far as I know, the following is the 

 lirst published detailed description of a female MonopJdehus, and 

 it is interesting, as it necessitates the revision just noted of the 

 characters of the genus. 



Monophlebus Craw/ordi, sp. no v. Plate xiv., flg. 6. 

 Adult female (flgs. 1, a and b) brick-red in colour, with two 

 broad longitudinal stripes of purple extending the whole length 

 on the dorsal side and on the abdominal segments beneath. The 

 body is slug-like, fat, and distinctly segmented with twelve 

 divisions ; somewhat convex above and flat beneath. The 

 cephalic and thoracic region occupies half the length, so that the 

 feet seem placed rather in a forward position, and the insect 

 crawls slowly. There is a quantity of white, short, cotton cover- 

 ing the insect, and at gestation this is heaped in large masses 

 containing the eggs. The antennae (c) are tapering, with nine 

 joints, the first and second are wider and shorter than the rest 

 which are sub-equal except the last which is elongated oval ; each 

 joint bears some hairs. At the base of the antenna is situated 

 the eye (shown in flg. c) ; this is small, tubercular, not facetted 

 but with a central orifice or spot. The feet (d) are not very 

 strong ; the tibia is more than twice as long as the tarsus ; the 

 trochanter bears one long seta; all the joints have hairs, and on 

 the under-side of the tibia is a series of short spiny hairs or 

 bristles ; the upper digitules appear to be absent, the lower pair 

 being short, fine hairs. The rostrum is very minute, but may be 

 clearly made out in a deep hollow between the anterior pair of 

 feet (it is indicated in fig. b) ; it is conical (e) and appears to 

 have no mentum. At the tip there are some short hairs, but no 

 long sette, as in most coccids. The body of the insect is covered 

 Avith short, fine, spiny hairs, intermingled with small circular 

 spinneret-orifices. 



The second female stage has not been sent to me. Judging by 

 analogy, this will probably be found (as in the allied Xew Zealand 

 genus Ccelostoma) to be encased in a large waxy test, and sta- 

 tionary on some plant. But, unless searched for by some one 

 more or less familiar with the peculiar variations of coccids, which 

 are generally not a little puzzling, it may not be found for some 

 time; and analogy may be misleading, so that this second stage 

 may really be something resembling the adult. It would be 

 interesting to clear up the doubt, the metamorphoses of coccids 

 bein^ one of the most curious features of the family. 



