92 THE WOMBAT. 



This species belongs to that division of Coccids which 

 includes the "mealy bugs," and Mr. Maskell his said some- 

 where that it may someday ba found necessary to unite these 

 insects and place them as "varieties" of I), adonvium, 

 Linnaeus However, the above characters are at present 

 aufficient to place D. similans as specifically distinct. 



Eriococcus eucalypti. Maskell. Plate I. ; Figs. 11-13. 



I have figured this insect chiefly on account of it being 

 one of the most constant, yet most misunderstood species, 

 occurring in Victoria. It is so often confounded with K. 

 tepperi. Mash., that I have thought it advisable to give figures 

 of both : (Bursaria and Eucalyptus are given as host-plants 

 for both.) The chief difference between them is the seven- 

 pointed antennae of E. eucalypti . The normal antennoe of 

 E. tepperi having only six joints. There is but little difference 

 in size, being & in. in length. Indeed it is not improbable 

 that E. tepperi may hereafter be placed as a " variety." 



I have collected this species on many widely different 

 orders of plants, but circumstances make it impossible for 

 me to prolong these " notes," and as I intend to continue 

 a course of " Field Notes on Victorian Coccids," I will leave 

 a list of the host-plants, with other personal observations on 

 the habits of this insect, to be contained therein. 



E. tepperi, Maskell. Plate 1. ; Figs. 14-17. 



During a recent visit to Blackwood I found this insect 

 occurring literally in thousands on the young " messmate " 

 trees, Eucalyptus obliqua, in the forest between Ballan and 

 Trentham. At first I considered them to be E. eucalypti, and 

 indeed with a lens I could detect no difference between them 

 and my type specimens of E. eucalypti, as determined by 

 Mr. Maskell for me in 1892. So that it was not until I had 

 mounted them that I found my mistake. In a letter dated 

 March 1st, 1892, Mr. Maskell says — " I gave this name 

 originally because it first came to me on Eucalyptus, but I 

 have since so often had it on Bursaria, and now from you on 

 Acacia that the specific name is not always applicable, but 

 it must stand for the future " 



Sub-family — Monophlebinse. Signoret. 

 Genus — Icerya. Signoret. 



