353 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



Pseudococcus helianthi, n. sp. 



On a young Helianthus, on the leaves, attended by ants ; 

 afterwards on other sunflowers, and more numerously on a 

 narrow-leaved species of compositae, not in flower. Las Cruces, 

 New Mexico, U.S.A.; alt. 3800 feet; July 1st— 20th, 1893. 

 Young were hatching July 9th. 



Female. — Three mm. long or a little over. Grey, covered above and at 

 sides with vs^hite mealy secretion ; segmentation distinct ; legs pale brown ; 

 antennae very slender, pale brown. Candal appendages thickly clothed with 

 secretion, short, less than half length of body. Lateral appendages well 

 clothed with secretion, short but distinct, more or less pointing backwards, 

 instead of being at right angles to margin. Anterior appendages (= first 

 laterals) rather more conspicuous than the laterals. No bands or marks. The 

 body has three obscure longitudinal ridges, one mid-dorsal, the others sub- 

 lateral. The general appearance is like Signoret's figure of Dactylopius citri. 

 Boiled in caustic soda, it does not stain the liquid. Derm with many gland- 

 dots. Antennae nine-jointed; 2nd joint longer than 3rd (as in P. socius). 

 Specimens examined showed some slight variation in the proportions of the 

 joints, thus: — (1) Specimen from Helianthus. Joint 2 longer than 3; 

 8 longer than 4 ; 6 longer than 4, but rather shorter than 3 ; 6 equal to 4 ; 

 7 and 8 shortest ; 9 about as long as 5. Formula therefore 23 (59) (46) (78). 

 (2) Specimen from Composite plant with narrow leaves : 5 longer than 4 ; 

 2 longer than 3 ; 9 longer than 5, but shorter than 3. Formula 239 (56) (478). 

 Eyes raised on tubercles, concolorous with body (after boiling in soda). 

 Trochanter with a fairly long bristle. Femur stout, with several short 

 bristles. Tibia slender, about as long as femur, bristly. Tarsus about half 

 length of tibia. Digitules hardly discernible ; apparently no tarsal clubbed 

 hairs. Anal ring with eight hairs, but one smaller than the rest. Coxa and 

 trochanter with several small bristles. A female found on sunflower was 

 observed on July 7th to have constructed its sac : — Sac cottony, snow-white, 

 about 5 mm. long ; the body of the insect, now pale brownish, projects from 

 the sac at one end. Sides of sac parallel, the cottony matter much looser on 

 the back than at the sides. Without the sac, the insect looks like a Dacty- 

 lopius ; with it, it might be taken at a superficial glance for Pulvinaria. 

 Newly-hatched larva pale yellow. 



Las Cruces, New Mexico, U.S.A., July 21, 1893. 



NOTES ON THE SYNONYMY OF NOCTUID MOTHS. 

 By Arthub G. Butler, Ph.D., F.L.S., &c. 



(Continued from p. 293). 



Spirama martha. 



Hypopyra martha, Butler, Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. ser. 5, 

 vol. i. p. 292 (1878) ; 111. Typ. Lep. Hist. iii. 41, pi. xxxiv. 

 fig. 8. 



Spirama cegrota, Butler, Trans. Ent. Soc. 1881, p. 197, n. 86. 



Japan. Types in Coll. B. M. 



