Lecaniince. 233 



towards the margin sometimes appear larger, owing to a paler outer zone 

 rendered conspicuous by the darker ground colour of the margin {Jig. 13). 

 The cells of the median area are actually rather larger than those of the 

 margin. Derm of ventral area with numerous minute circular pores communi- 

 cating with cyHndrical ducts. Size very variable, even on the same plant. 

 Length 2 to 3 mm. Breadth i '2 5 to 2 mm. 



The early stages of the female show a gradual progression from the 

 elongate oval to the broadly oval ; the ridges becoming more marked until 

 the adult stage is reached when, after gestation, they become obliterated as 

 the insect assumes its final hemispherical form. The colour of the early stages 

 varies considerably. On the tea plant, the young larva is of a pale straw 

 colour {fig. 2). After a time three diffused crimson transverse bands usually 

 make their appearance {fig. 3). By their gradual e.xtension they eventually 

 cover the dorsal surface with the exception of the ridges which remain pale 

 {fig 4.). On Adian/uin and other ferns, the crimson forms seldom occur, the 

 immature insect remaining throughout of a pale ochreous colour. In other 

 examples there may be a brownish or blackish sufifusion, commencing in the 

 form of transverse bands. 



The male insect, in any stage, is at the present time extremely rare, though 

 some forty years ago, when Nietner was investigating the life history of the 

 Brown Coffee Bug, it appears to have been quite common. I have myself 

 found them only on a single occasion, on the under surface of a coffee leaf, in 

 1889. The drawings then made (and reproduced herewith) do not show as 

 much detail as is required for accurate comparison with other species. 



Male puparium {fig. 10) colourless, glassy, transparent, divided into nine 

 plates. 



Adult male {fig. 1 1), minute, reddish, wings strongly iridescent, with crimson 

 costal nervure. Antennse rather short, reaching to scutellum. Genital sheath 

 long and slender. A pair of slender white caudal filaments, equal to total 

 length of body ; and a pair of moderately long fleshy tubercles, exterior to the 

 caudal filaments. 



Habitat on leaves, twigs, and branches of coffee, cinchona, tea, and 

 innumerable other plants, amongst which may be mentioned Adiaiiittm and 

 other ferns, asparagus, gardenia, guava {Psidiuin guyavd), Cobaa, Anihiirhnn, 

 Loranthus, bamboo, etc. In fact, the species may be considered as 

 omnivorous as it is cosmopolitan. It has been recorded from almost every 

 country in which Coccidae have been collected in both hemispheres. 



This insect was formerly known in Ceylon as the 'Brown Bug' of the 

 coffee plant and, before the advent of the ' Green Bug ' {Lee. vtride), was con- 

 sidered the most serious insect pest of that plant. Nietner {The Coffee Tree 

 mid its Enemies, second edition, p. 6) describes the species under its synonym 

 of Lecanium coffece, and makes the following remarks about its occurrence in 

 Ceylon : ' Although the coffee has been known in Ceylon for about two 

 hundred years, and although systematically worked estates have existed since 

 1825, the bug does not appear to have attracted attention — that is to say, not 

 to have appeared in large quantities till about 1845 when, however, it began 

 to spread with such rapidity, that in 1847 a very general alarm was taken 

 by the planters.' Nietner's first edition appeared in 1861. In a second 



