1893.] 



79 



attacks, but I could not find any o£ the Hipersics parasitized, whicii 

 makes it all the more extraordinary. 



ElPERSIA SUBTERE.ANEA, U. Sp. 



$ adult ; dark red-brown, turns dark purple in caustic potasli ; more or less 



pyriform, narrowed in front, distinctly segmented. Body with numerous circular 



openings and a few fine short spines. 



Anal lobes neai'ly obsolete, each with a 



single hair rather longer than is usual. 



Antennae of six joints (fig. 1), of which 



the 6th is not quite as long as the 3rd 



and 4th together ; 4th and 5th shortest, 



and in length equal. Rostrum (fig. 2) 



large, biarticulate ? (some appear to 



have three joints), with several short, 



fine hairs ; unexpanded filaments very 



short. Anterior legs (fig. 3) nearly aa 



long again as the antennae ; posterior 



pair longer ; tarsi a little shorter than 



the tibiae ; claws with two very short, 



fine digitules ; trochanter with a single 



long hair; the ordinary digitules to 



tarsi replaced by a single long hair. . 



Anal ring with six hairs, intervening 



Fig. 3. Fig. 1. Fig. 4. Fig. 2. spaces with a series of curious raised 



tubercles (fig. 4). I think they are viviparous, as many of the females contained 



well developed larvae, but I failed to make out any distinctive characters from them, 



and as they did not produce any in captivity, I cannot furnish a description. 



I;ong., ii— 2i mm. ; wide, 1 — 1^ mm. 



? , 2nd stage ; ovate, ends nearly equally rounded, convex above, dark red- 

 brown ; legs yellowisli, thickly covered with a white mealy powder; segments 

 distinct ; anus with two very short, wliite, waxy filaments, which are frequently 

 wanting. 



<J , unknown, in any stage. 



Mah. : on roots of Nardus stricta, in nests of Formica flava, on a 

 raised shingle beach at Ingoldisthorpe, near King's Lynn, Norfolk, 

 August 20th, 1892. 



I found many examples on the plants, and in the situations given 



above ; none occurred at the roots of other grasses, either in or out 



of the nests of F.Jiava, nor could I find a single example at the roots 



of Nardus stricta, except those growing in the ants' nests. The ants 



in question did not appear to take the slightest notice of the Coecids, 



although I placed specimens amongst them, and watched them most 



carefully. This it will be seen is quite the opposite to Mr. Luff's 



experience. 



Chester : January 2iid, 1893. 



H2 



