14 



olive trees in South Australia, and that all the oleander in Australia 

 and New Caledonia should be attacked by this form only ? In investi- 

 gating this matter it should be understood that the males of Lecanium 

 are only found during a short time. In California, where I have had a 

 better opportunity to look this matter up, the males of a number of na- 

 tive species bred are found in the early spring. From the end of 

 February to the middle of March the long, narrow, carinated male 

 scales are visible in numbers chiefly upon the leaves of plants and trees 

 infested with these coccids. It is during this latter month that the 

 males make their appearance and copulate with the young females, 

 probably in the second stage. After this the empty male scales will 

 soon drop oft" and all traces of them are lost, while the females go on 

 with their usual growth, becoming full grown only a few months later. 

 May it not be possible that if some of these newly hatched female 

 Lecaniums should be landed in a new country without any male forms 

 they would go on breeding and producing a slightly different form from 

 the original without any males? I am almost positive this will be the 

 case. The question is an interesting one and if pursued may lead to 

 many facts establishing the origin of the species. In my opinion, most 

 if not all the Lecanium have a male form in their native home.* 



The scale infesting the orange, lemon, and many other trees and 

 shrubs, which I take to be and which Mr. Maskell said " may probably 

 be" Lecanium hesperidum Linn., was never found without the male form 

 in Australia, Lecanium filicum Sign., according to Mr. Maskell, was 

 found by Signoret and Douglas upon exotic ferns. It was met with in 

 large numbers infesting a fern (Lomaria sp.) on the Richmond River, 

 New South Wales. This coccid is closely related to L. hemispkeeriemm 

 Targioni, but a little smaller. The species will also prove to have a 

 male form in Australia if looked for at the proper time. It is also 

 likely that L. hemisplucricum Sign, is nothing more than a derivational 

 form of /,. filicum Sign. I have recently seen at Alameda Lecanium tessa- 

 latum Sign, infesting an Australian fern, and with it many male scales 

 of same. 



Parasites observed preying upon L. hesperidum Linn., and one spe- 

 cies preying both upon L. oleev Bernard and L. cussini<c Mask., were 

 repeatedly sent to California, Specimens were forwarded to the Ento- 

 mologist for identification. 



The predaceous insects niton the black scale are very many in Aus- 

 tralia. Three species of Orcus were found preying upon this scale, and 

 tliefonrlh, the largest of all, 0. bilunulalatus Boisd., will, without donbt. 

 feed upon the same in time, if it does not do so already. Numerous 

 species of EJhizobiids, Scymnids, and other allied species feed upon them. 



"I have bred males of the following Lecanium in California, which will likely prove 

 to be indigenous: Lecanium sp. on Quercus agrtfolia, Lecanium sp. on Pinus huignis, 

 Lecanium sp. on HeUromela arbuHfolia } and Lecanium pruinosusum Coq. Of this lut- 

 i have only had male scales, 



