No. 4.3 Notes on Insect pests Jrom the Entomological Section. 2\2 



Dr. G, Watt, C. I. E., Reporter on Economic Products to the 

 Government of India. 



The insect proved to be new to the Museum collection, but it 

 was identified as belonging to the genus Diaspis, It was kindly 

 examined by the late Mr. W. M. Maskell who considered it 3. Diaspis 

 (^alyptroides, Costa, var. cacti. Com stock. He wrote : — 



" The species is found on Cactaceae in many countries. The type 

 is described by Signoret, Ann. de La Soc. Entom. de France, March 

 1868, p. 434: and the variety by Comstock, 2nd Report, Department 

 of Entomology, Cornell University, 1883, p. 91. 



*' Comstock considered his insect as a distinct species : but 

 the difference from the type is but slight, and I incline to look upon 

 it as only a variety. Costa's original description {Faun. Nap., 1827, 

 p. 6) is most incomplete, and chiefly concerns the male scale : but 

 Signoret gives full details. 



'' This insect is almost always, where it occurs, very numerous 

 on the plant (as in those you sent) : and must therefore be usually 

 injurious. 



" There is another variety opunticola, Newstead, on Opuntia 

 in Demerara {Ent. Mo, Mag., 1893, p. 1888), which has more pro- 

 minent terminal lobes than your insect. I fancy all the varieties 

 arise from climate or from a slightly different species of Cactus. "" 



3. Coccid on Prickly Pear.-— Mr. E, Thurston, Superintendent, 

 Government Museum, Madras, forwarded specimens of a scale- 

 insect infesting Prickly Pear in the Kurnool and Anantapur dis- 

 tricts. 



The specimens were found to be unrepresented in the Museum 



collection, so were submitted to Mr. W. M. Maskell for examina,- 

 tion. 



Mr. Maskell kindly furnished the following report regarding the 

 insect : " The insect sent to. me ... . as infesting Prickly Pear in 

 Kurnool and Anantapur is clearly a form which Mr. E. E. Green is 

 proposing to name Coccus cacti, var. ceylonicus^ a variety of the 

 Cochineal insect. It is identical with specimens sent to me some 

 time ago by Mr. Green." 



I presume that a full description of this form will appear in 

 Mr. Green's book on the Coccidse of Ceylon now in the press. Pend- 

 ino- its publication I cannot well give you a detailed note for Indian 

 Museum Notes, It is possible that Mr. Green may see fit to change 



