yo Indian Museum Notes. [ Vol. IV. 



therefore submitted to Mr. W. M. Maskell, of New Zealand, who has 

 very kindly examined them and identified them as belonging to the 

 species Aspidiotus Jicus (Riley), Comst(;ck. This identification is 

 most interesting, as this pest is primarily American, and has not 

 hitherto been reported from Asia. 



The following is the description of the insect as furnished by 

 Mr. Maskell : — 



Puparium of female circular, flattish, dark-reddish brown in 

 colour : diameter averaging 2 mm. The pellicles are central and 

 lighter coloured than the rest. 



Puparium of male nearly similar in form to that of the female, 

 but slightly elliptical : not carinated. 



Adult female pale yellow or whitish in colour^ of the normal peg- 

 top form of the genus : the abdominal region is small and tapering, 

 and ends in six distinct lobes, of which the two median are slightly 

 larger than the rest and the two outer ones slightly the smallest: 

 between these lobes are some broad scaly hairs with serrated ends. 

 There are four groups of spinnerets on the pygidium : the two 

 anterior groups have usually eight orifices, and the tv/o posterior 

 groups usually four each. 



Adult male, light orange-yellow : length, about i mm. The 

 thorax bears a brownish transverse band, and the abdomen ends in a 

 spike (sheath of the penis) which is about as long as the abdomen. 



Habitat — in North America (Florida, California) on Orange and 

 lemon trees : in Australia on the same trees : and it will probably 

 extend to every country where these are grown. 



The Americans call this " The red scale of Florida," and it is 

 considered to be a dangerous enemy to citrus trees of all kinds. It 

 is stated by Comstock to have first come from Cuba: but it is by no 

 means easy to decide upon the original home of any of these pests. 



The following extract taken from Mr, H. G. Hubbard's report 

 on " Insects affecting Orange " is of great interest, as it deals with 

 the several stages of development of the insect. 



*' Development of the Insect and formation of the Scale. — The 

 development of this insect from the egg to the adult state was 

 followed through five generations. I give, however, only the sub- 

 stance of a part of the notes taken on a single brood (the second 

 one observed) as that will be sufficient for our purpose. The 

 observations were made upon specimens which were colonized on 

 small orange trees in pots in nry office in Washington. The rate of 

 the development of the insects was probably slower than would 

 have been the case in the open air in Florida. 



