248 fAp" 1 ' 



DESCRIPTIONS of TWO NEW SPECIES of LECANIUM FROM CEYLON. 

 BY E. EENEST GREEN. 



Lecanium VIBIDE. 

 Ovum — pale green, sparsely covered 'with a white waxy powder. 



Longer diameter, y-gVo °f an inch. 

 Newly-hatched larva — pale green, flat, regularly oval, longer diameter about 

 twice the shorter. A broad indentation at extremity of abdomen, with a central 

 pointed spine, and on each side a small conical tubercle ending in a long curved 

 seta. Tarsi with four knobbed digitules. Antennae terminating in a few short stout 

 hairs. 



Larva — oval, longer diameter about three times the shorter. Pale green. 

 Eyes minute, black, lateral. Abdominal cleft extending one-seventh the length 

 of insect, terminating above in two small yellowish triangular scales, below in a 

 triangular cavity, within which is a small white point. Two small indentations 

 on each side corresponding to lateral stigmata, one situated anteriorly at about 

 a quarter the length of the insect, the second about the middle, both of them 

 marked by a small white point, which on the under-side is continued within the 

 margin as a line of white powdery matter. Antennas and legs fully developed 

 but small, lying in shallow channels on under-surface of body. A few short hairs 

 on lower part of abdomen. Rostrum terminating in a long, fine, brownish, setiform 

 tube. 



Adult $ — unknown. 



\ Adult ? — bright green. Intestine showing through on dorsum as an 



| irregular curved chain of oblong black spots, which, in the living insect, 



have a periodic undulating motion. Above smooth, moderately convex, 

 slightly concave beneath. Irregularly oval ; anterior extremity sub- 

 acuminate. Abdominal cleft with thickened margin, terminating above 

 in two yellowish triangular scales. Eyes submarginal, black. Margin 

 of scale with an extended series of minute hairs. Antennae and legs 

 small, lying in channels ; the antennas with seven joints, the 4th longest, 

 the three terminal ones shortest (Eig.) ; tarsi one-third shorter than 

 tibiae, with two short, broad digitules ; two digitules on claws long, thin. 

 Rostral tube brownish. Length, 1J — If lines ; breadth, 1 — lj lines. 



Note. — The eggs are hatched very shortly after deposition. The 

 young insects appear to remain for some time under the protecting scale 

 of the parent. Under most of the adult insects may be found a pulveru- 

 lent mass, consisting of the newly-hatched larvae and the collapsed membranous 

 coverings of the ova. 



The species occurs on various trees*in Ceylon, including Cinchona, 

 orange, Gardenia, &c. ; but it more especially affects the coffee tree, 

 its connection with which has been so disastrous that in many parts 

 of the island it has been necessary to abandon the cultivation of this 

 product. 



[This species is evidently allied to L. hespcridum. — J. "W. 1).]. 



