236 LecaniincB. 



size until their walls become contiguous and confluent {iig. 11). In very 

 densely chitinous examples the cell walls may become so dark that the tessel- 

 lated appearance is more or less obscured and the pale spots only are con- 

 spicuous. A vertical section through the derm {Jig. 13) affords an explanation 

 of the tessellation and median spot. It is due to a complicated involution of 

 the cuticle between each cell, the involuted parts forming, in fact, the walls, 

 and spreading out below to form the floor of the cell. The floor is incomplete, 

 the interrupted portion {fig. 13a) appearing as the pale median spot. The roof 

 of each cell is pierced by a minute pore {fig. i^i). Length 3 to 5 mm. 

 Breadth 2 to 3 mm. 



Female of second stage {fig. 4) flattish, or very slightly convex above ; pale 

 greenish yellow with a reticulated pattern of dull reddish brown lines formed 

 by seven longitudinal stripes crossed by eleven or twelve transverse bands, the 

 points of intersection dilated. These markings vary in intensity and are some- 

 times obsolete. Eyes black, submarginal. Anal valves fulvous. In sheltered 

 situations these immature females secrete, at intervals along the margin, 

 delicate twisted glassy filaments. The filaments spring from a submarginal 

 series of points corresponding with the extremities of the transverse coloured 

 bands. The passage of countless ants, which usually attend the insects, soon 

 wears off these filaments. 

 Young larvse dull red. 

 Eggs purplish. 



Adult 6 {fig. 15) reddish brown above, yellowish beneath; head, sternal 

 plates, anterior and lateral notal plates, antennse and legs, olive brown ; 

 apodema black, polished ; a dark vertical line on head ; margin of abdomen 

 reddish. Wings ample, hyaline and iridescent ; costal nervure bright pink. 

 Antenna ten-jointed, fourth longest ; three knobbed hairs at apex. A pair of 

 long white waxy caudal filaments. Penultimate segment of abdomen with a 

 pair of prominent fleshy pilose processes, directed backwards ; and a recurved 

 (eversible .'') process on each side at base of style. Style flattened, lanceolate* 

 acutely pointed, half length of abdomen. Length i mm. 



Male puparium {fig. 14) transparent, glassy ; divided into nine plates, of which 

 two are central and seven marginal ; junctions of the plates raised and more 

 opaque ; a submarginal series of minute raised spots. Length i'50 mm. 



Male larva {fig. 17), when fully grown, yellowish green; with a slight 

 median longitudinal carina of a chocolate-brown colour, obscurely broken into 

 quadrate spots. Shortly before pupating, the plates of the puparium are plainly 

 demarked on the dorsum of the larva. Length 1-50 mm. 



Habitat on stems and leaves of numerous plants. Widely distributed 

 throughout the world. In Ceylon it occurs commonly, in injurious numbers, 

 on Hibiscus rosa-sitiensis (see fig. i), on various species of Anona, and on 

 Croton tiglium. I have observed it also on the following plants : Coffea 

 arabica and C. liberica. Cinchona succirubra and C. officinalis., Ficus sp., 

 Begonia sp., Asparagus falcatus, Manihot utilissima (tapioca), Thespesia 

 populnea (suriya). Agave americatta, Afusscenda frondosa, Carina, Canthium 

 parviflorum, Maranta zebrina, Abiitilon sp., Cobcea scandens, Graptophyllum 

 Poinsettia, Jatropha, Vitis sp., and many uncultivated plants. 



I have never bred any parasites from this species. Nietner {Enemies of 



