58 Indian Museum Notes. [Vol. IV. 



the soil is poor, to improve it, and thus to strengthen the plant 

 against the attack — the great object of all medical treatment 

 everywhere. 



To prevent the spread of the disease, the affected branches 

 should be cut off and burnt. 



3. Carteria decorella, Mask. 



(Sub-Order Homoptera ; Fam. Coccid/e ; Group 

 Brachyscelid^.) 



Plate V, Fig, 3 — a, adult females in tests on twig; h, tests of second stage females 

 and males on twig s c, tests of adult females enlarged : d, test of male enlarged ; 

 e, adult male enlarged : i, antenna of male enlarged. 



This species is a late addition to the list of Indian insect pests. 

 It was sent to the Museum during the latter part of February 1895, 

 by Mr. J. Lancaster, Secretary^ Agricultural and Horticultural 

 Society of India, as attacking tea and forest trees in Northern India. 



Mr. W. M. Maskell, who kindly assisted in the identification of 

 the species, reported that the insect has been hitherto considered 

 as a strictly Australian form, and it was somewhat of a surprise to 

 him to find It also occurring in India. 



The following is Mr. Maskell's description of the species, pub- 

 lished in Tran. N. Z. Inst., Vol. XXV, p. 249: — 



Carteria decorella, sp. nov. — Adult female covered by a waxy 

 test, which, at first single and separate, becomes later on aggregated 

 in masses on the twig. The normal form of a test is subcircular 

 rather convex; the colour is yellowish-brown; the diameter would 

 average about \ in. if separated at full growth. The centre of the 

 dorsal portion is occupied by a small elongated narrow red or purple 

 lamina of wax, transversely corrugated, and evidently the 

 remains of the test of the early second stage : from this to the margin 

 radiate a number of narrow ridges and depressions, which give a cor- 

 rucrated appearance to the whole test; at the posterior extremity of 

 the small central lamina there is a minute orifice. When detached 

 from the twig, the underside of the test is seen to be nearly solid, 

 with a small orifice in the middle, so that the insect is almost entirely 

 enclosed. The female insect is dark red, of the normal globular 

 form of the genus, prolonged posteriorly in a short subcylindrical 



