NOVEMBER 3, 1899.] 
spot. The approximately central position of the 
exuvie is a generic character and applies to 
scores of species, but is often modified and 
quite naturally by the crowding of the scales 
or by irregularities of the surface on which the 
insect rests. The shade of brown of the exu- 
vie varies with the age of the scale, from 
pale orange at the start to different shades of 
brown, darkening more or less with time and 
exposure, and as influenced by conditions of 
moisture or dryness or different food plants, etc. 
The question of locality is of little value, the 
species itself having a wide distribution and 
belonging to a group having an extensive range 
in point of latitude. The few structural char- 
acters noted, where they are not evidently based 
on the accidental effects of preparation and 
mounting, are included in the normal variation 
of typical specimens of Comstock’s cydoniz. 
There remains, therefore, to be considered 
merely the extremely variable colorational fea- 
tures of the scale covering. Referring to the 
table, it will be seen that the supposed species 
are divided into two groups on the shade of 
color taken by the drying bit of cast skin or 
exuvia. The species with ‘dark’ exuvie are 
separated on the ground of latitude, namely, 
those from north of a certain arbitrary line are 
convexus, and those from south of the same line 
are cydoniz. 
The group with lighter colored exuvie (and 
be it remembered that with practically every 
lot of material the exuvize of different speci- 
mens range widely in color) is again separated 
into two sections by the alleged central or non- 
central position of the exuvie. An exami- 
nation of the type material indicates that the 
only possible basis for this is that in the scale or 
scales which happened to come under Professor 
Cockerell’s eye, the exuvice were pushed slightly 
to one side by conditions already noted. In 
this group, punice is differentiated by its pos- 
sessing a snow white scale (which simply means 
that the scales examined happened to be free 
from extraneous matter), greenii is characterized 
by its having central exuvie (sic!) and by a 
greenish coloration (which latter proves on ex- 
amination of the material submitted by Profes- 
sor Cockerell to be caused by a greenish mold 
or fungus which covers exteriorly a few of the 
SCIENCE. 
659 
scales. It must be confessed, however, that the 
writer had hitherto supposed that this species 
was given its name not from coloration, but in 
honor of Mr. BH. E. Green !). The scale of later- 
alis differs in being grayish brown, a coloration 
derived from extraneous matter, and the species, 
as indicated in my former article, was described 
as a variety of Newsted’s diffinis from immature 
specimens of cydonix#. Crawii is separated be- 
cause presenting a reddish gray coloration, 
which on examination is seen to come from the 
reddish bark of the plant carried up over the 
exterior of the scale as described in my former 
article. 
Further comment is not needed, nor is it 
necessary to go beyond this single example, 
especially as this JOURNAL is not the most suit- 
able place in which to undertake a revision of 
the entire group. 
If all such careless and hasty work could be 
overlooked and ignored, little harm would re- 
sult, but unfortunately these scale insects have 
many of them a considerable economic impor- 
tance, and it is necessary to be able to deter- 
mine them promptly and accurately. While it 
is possible for the care-free species-maker to sit 
down and, regardless of literature and type 
material, his own included, jauntily dash off, 
before breakfast perhaps, half a dozen new spe- 
cies and see them published the same week in. 
the most accessible vehicle, it means unfortu- 
nately that someone else, if he be so favored as 
to get the type material and the description, has 
to spend hours perhaps with a microscope, dis- 
secting needle, and drawing camera to deter- 
mine finally that the insect described is an old 
and well-known species, or, in other words, 
what was five minutes’ play for the heedless. 
describer, causes the conscientious student, even 
under the most favorable conditions, several 
hours of real work. 
One of the greatest evils complained of also. 
is the complete disregard of proprieties and 
custom in the publishing of new species and 
new notes and facts regarding them in all sorts 
of out of the way and inappropriate places. 
‘The 20th Neotropical Aspidiotus,’ published in 
a Chilian journal, may tickle the author’s pride, 
but it adds very much to the difficulties of 
future students. Similarly new species and-_ 
