Indian Museum Notes. [Vol. V. 



moderately large serrate median lobes. First pair of lateral lobes 

 represented only by small serrate thickenings of the margin : second 

 lateral lobes obsolete. Spines normal, the dorsal series rather long j 

 one pair springing from within the median cleft. Circumgenital glands 

 in five groups ; the median and upper lateral groups together forming 

 an almost continuous arch. Median group with 4 or 5 orifices ; upper 

 laterals 10 to 13 ; lower laterals 15 to 18. A very few circular pores 

 with accompanying ducts, on dorsal surface, near the margin. Length 

 o P 5o to 075 mm. 



Neither the male scale nor the adult male are represented in the 

 material under examination. 



The pale yellow eggs are deposited in two rows within the hinder 

 part of the female scale,— the female insect shrinking up after ovi- 

 position and occupying the anterior extremity only. 



Habitat. — On leaves of the tea plant in Assam and Kangra, and 

 probably throughout the tea districts of India. The scales are most 

 abundant on the under surface of the leaves (fig. 4), but occur on the 

 upper surface and stems also. Individuals from the upper surface of 

 the leaf are usually more brightly coloured than the others. 



The presence of the proboscidiform process on the anterior margin 

 allies this insect to a curious Ceylon form, to be shortly described 

 under the name of F. proboscidaria, in which this organ is still more 

 largely developed. The process is homologous with the spinous 

 tubercle of F saprosmse. 



Dr. Watt, in his elaborate and valuable report on c The Pests and 

 Blights of the Tea plant,' draws attention to the fact that plants 

 affected by this pest are usually conspicuous by their dust-coated 

 appearance. He suggests that this may be due to dust and dirt 

 adhering to a sugary exudation from the insects. But members of 

 the Diaspid group of scale insects (to which the present species 

 belongs), do not produce any appreciable secretion of the kind. 



7. Chionaspis thete, Mask. — This species, which was described 

 and figured by the late Mr. Maskell (whose unexpected death is greatly 

 deplored) in Volume II, No. 1, of 'Indian Museum Notes,' occurs 

 commonly throughout the tea districts of India and Ceylon, though 

 seldom in sufficient numbers to do any appreciable harm to the plant. 

 A sample from Darjeeling, however, shows both stems and leaves 

 thickly covered with the scales, which must have seriously affected the 

 productiveness of the plants. 



