INSECT PESTS OF DATES IN MESOPOTAMIA. 299 



which are to some extent attacked. The Arabs treat the condition by free excision 

 of leaves down to the bole, and occasionally by removal of the terminal bud itself. 

 Forbes (1913) records that this pest occasionally attacks exposed roots of date palms. 



The male of Phoenicococcus marlatti is miknown. 



No parasites or natural enemies of this scale have been recorded. 



Icerya aegyptiaca, Douglas. 



This scale-insect is recorded by Newstead (1917) from a young date palm at 

 Zanzibar. So far as I am aware this is an isolated record. This species has a long 

 list of host plants, and in Ceylon at any rate attacks various kinds of palms, some 

 of which are badly infested. 



Selenaspidus (Aspidiotus) articulatus, Morg. 



The West Indian red scale has been recorded by Morstatt from " Phoenix palm," 

 from German East Africa. I am not perfectly certain whether this refers to the date 

 palm, or to some wild member of the genus. In any case it is an isolated record 

 of a Coccid which has been found on a variety of plants, including oUve, rubber, 

 citrus, coffee, bananas and cacao. 



Aspidiotus ostreaformis. Curtis. 

 Aspidiotus hederae, Vallot. 

 Chrysomphalus aonidum, L. 

 Chrysomphalus aurantii, Maskell. 

 Coccus hesperidum, L. 

 These five scales are all general feeders ; they are all recorded by Essig as occasional 

 minor pests of the date palm in California. 



Mr. E. E. Green has been good enough to furnish me with the following list of 

 CocciDAE which have been recorded from the genus Phoenix : — 



Icerya aegyptiaca, and purcJiasi. 



Phoenicococcus marlatti. 



Pseudococcus nipae. 



Lecanium hesperidum, tessellatum, oleae, and expansum. 



Diaspis phoenicis, and boisduvalii. 



Chionaspis dilatata. 



Aspidiotus ostreaeformis, dictyospermi, ficus, rapax, lataniae, hederae, cyanophylliy 

 and articulatus. 



Parlatoria blanchardi, proteus var. palmae, zizyphi, and pergandei. 



Fiorinia pellucida. 



Ischnaspis filiformis. 



ACARINA. 



Family TetranychiDAE. 



Oligonychus (Paratetranychus) ? simplex, Banks. 



Mr. Hirst has examined some of my specimens of a small " red spider " from 

 date palms and beheves that they are the Paratetranychus simplex described by 



