140 Transactions. — Zoology. 



anal tubercles spring two strong setns with tubercular bases, not very long. 

 The mentum is di-merous and bears a few hairs on the tip. In the groups 

 of spinnerets at the edges of the segments are found a few small conical 

 spines. The four spiracles are small and simple. 



I have not seen the male. 



On a species of Astelia sent to me by the Eev. Mr. Colenso, from the 

 forests of Hawke's Bay. 



This insect appears to be most nearly allied to Pseudococcus mespili, 



Geoffroy, found in France on medlar and plane trees. The arrangement of 



the spinnerets in groups on the segments and in great numbers at the two 



extremities, the long hairs on the head and the length of the tibia, are 



similar in both. I find, however, in M. Signoret's description of the 



European insect no mention of the two kinds of spinnerets. The main 



differences between the two seem to be in the antennae and the foot. In 



P. mespili the second joint of the antenna is the longest and the rest 



diminish gradually to the ninth : and the claw of the foot is strong and 



broad and shows a small tooth on the inner edge near the point. In 



P. aceris, another European insect, the mentum bears at its tip a large 



number of hairs. Both of these insects, too, are red in colour. 



Genus Icerya, Signoret. 



1. leery a purchasi, mihi. 



(Trans., vol. xi., p. 221.) 



Through the kindness of M. Signoret I have had an opportunity of 

 comparing this insect with I. sacchari, the Mauritian species, and I find 

 that it is undoubtedly and markedly distinct. I. sacchari does not seem to 

 form an ovisac with longitudinal grooves, nor does the body of the insect, 

 although somewhat hairy, show the great tufts of black hairs and the 

 curious projecting glassy tubes springing from large brown " coronetted " 

 bases which are marked features of I. purchasi. The number of the cir- 

 cular spinneret orifices is also much smaller in the Mauritian insect. 



Icerya purchasi has spread greatly in the last two years. It had just 

 reached Napier at the date of my last paper • it has now established itself 

 in that district, not only in gardens but in the native forests. In Auckland 

 it is attacking all sorts of plants, from apple and rose trees to pines, 

 cypresses, and gorse, and it is spreading over a large district. It has 

 reached Nelson, and I have had many communications from that place 

 complaining of its ravages. From the " Nelson Colonist " I learn that it is 

 devouring wattles, cypresses, gorse, and many other plants. At the same 

 time nobody seems to try to destroy it. With the example of California 

 and the Cape of Good Hope before us we may be sure that ere long this 

 pest will become a dreadful nuisance. I have tried to warn the people of 



