Vol. VJ [No. 2 



ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. 



I.— DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES OF PSYLLA 

 DESTRUCTIVE TO FOREST TREES. 



By G. B. Buckton, F.R.S., etc. 



Psylla obsoleta, n. sp. 



Plate V. figs. 10-15. 



Antennae filiform obscurely ten-jointed, basal joint large. Apex 

 with two minute bristles. Thorax robust with two small spines 

 underneath. Ferruginous colour above, shining black below. Ab- 

 domen similarly coloured and having rings with pale edges. Fore- 

 wings veined as in ordinary Psyllidae. Hind wings obsolete or re- 

 presented by mere membranous flaps. When first emerging from 

 the pupse the insects are uniformly pale luteous. Like some other 

 species of Psylla this insect forms small galls on the leaves of forest 

 trees, but none of the examples of galls seen by me were perforated 

 although the winged forms were abroad under the trees. 



The galls are yellowish-red, rough, and somewhat recall the 

 appearance of the oak spangles known as Robin's pincushion in 

 England. 



This new Psyllid was received from Mr, G. M. Ryan, Deputy 

 Conservator of Forests, Western Circle, Thana, Bombay, who writes 

 as follows — 



" The damage done by it so far is observed to be entirely to the 

 younger plants of Diospyros melanoxylon, a tree the Mahratti name 

 of which i9 Temiboornee, The leaves of the young plants, perhaps 

 6 or 7 years old and about 3 or 4 feet from the grourd generally, 

 are attacked, and the insect seems to quit its abode (the gall) in 



