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HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



76 



seen prominences, as they are called — huge incan- 

 descent masses, extending sometimes for thousands of 

 miles from the sun's surface, of varied shape, and 

 continuance. As the sun is globular and rotates on 

 its axis, there is no reason to think that these 

 prominences do not exist all over its surface, their 

 visibility at the edge only being accounted for by the 

 relatively darker background. Nor is it unlikely 

 that the faculae are really prominences. By em- 

 ploying a certain part only of the solar spectrum, 

 and by means of a very ingenious apparatus devised 

 by himself, Professor Hale, of the Kenwood Astro- 

 Physical Observatory, at Chicago, has succeeded 

 within the last few months in obtaining photographs 

 ©f the sun, such as have never previously been 

 seen : faculoe all over the disc, spots and promi- 

 nences — all obtained simultaneously with one short 

 exposure. 



The United States have been well to the fore in 

 recent astronomical discoveries. It was there, too, 

 that about three years ago the discovery was made 

 that the duplicity of stars, too close to be optically 

 separated, could be detected by means of the spectro- 

 scope. We hear of wealthy citizens of the States 

 devoting their dollars to the establishment and 

 magnificent equipment of astronomical and physical 

 observatories, and: we hear of the good results 

 obtained thereby. It is not from the other side of 

 the Atlantic that we hear of physicists clamouring for 

 state aid to enable them to ventilate their fads, and 

 batten on the already overburdened tax-payer. 



A CURIOUS GROUP OF COCCIDyE— THE 

 LECANIODIASPINI. 



By T. D. A. COCKERELL. 



ON the twigs and leaf-stalks of the Akee-tree 

 (Cupania edulis), in Kingston, Jamaica, one 

 meets with numerous greenish-yellow scales, slightly 

 convex, and more or less circular in outline. On 

 examination with a lens, they are seen to have a 

 remarkable pinkish fringe ; and if the insect is further 

 studied by the aid of caustic soda and the microscope, 

 it appears that the scale encloses the oval body of the 

 female, which is so degraded in its characters as to 

 possess neither legs nor antenna-. Not so the larvre, 

 however ; these have legs and stout antennae, and are 

 able to move about. 



This remarkable Coccid belongs to a group which 

 Ashmead * has called Lecaniodiaspini. This is not 

 by any means identical with the Lecanodiaspida of 

 Maskell, though it is the group so called by Targioni- 

 Tozzetti. Mr. Maskell refers Lecanodiaspis to Le- 

 canodiaspida:, together with such genera as Vinsonia, 



* " Generic Synopsis of Coccidte," p. 100. 



Ceroplastes, Carleria, etc. Planclionia he places in 

 Coccidincc, subdivision Acanthococcidce ; and Pollinia 

 and Asteroleca7iium form a new subdivision, Cjypto- 

 kennitidcB, of ILemicoccidince.* Pollinia is stated to 

 have a " single .fringe," but in Ashmead's generic 

 synopsis it is said not to be fringed. 



Five genera have been admitted as constituting the 

 group ; and up to the present time thirteen species 

 have been described. The purpose of the present 

 paper is to indicate two new species, and give such 

 an account of the others that they may be recog- 

 nised. 



One of the genera, Pollinia, may be distinguished 

 from the others because it lacks the double fringe. 

 Of the others, Lecaniodiaspis is recognised by the 

 presence of antennae in the adult female, the legs 

 being absent. There now remain three supposed 

 genera called Asterolecanium, Planclionia, and As- 

 terodiaspis. The last was separated by Signoret on 

 the ground that the male resembled that of the 

 Diaspince. If this were so, the separation would be 

 well warranted, but from the close resemblance of the 

 female to that of the other two genera, it is hard to 

 avoid the conviction that there must have been some 

 mistake. It seems probable, indeed, that the three 

 last-mentioned genera may have to be merged in one : 

 in this article, Asterolecaniinn is kept distinct, but 

 Asterodiaspis is merged in Planclionia. 



Pollinia, Targ. 

 (1). Pollinia pollini, Costa. 



This is the Coccus pollini of Costa, and the Pollinia 

 costtz of Targioni-Tozzetti. The whitish scales are 

 found adhering to the bark of olive-trees in .Europe, 

 and according to Signoret, resemble in superficial 

 appearance those of a Diaspis. The much degraded 

 female is oval in outline. 



Recently, as is related in " Insect Life," vol. iv. 

 p. 347, this species has been accidentally imported 

 into California. It was found there on some olive- 

 trees which had been brought from Italy five years 

 before. 



Lecaniodiaspis, Targ. 



(2). Lecaniodiaspis sardoa, Targ. 



Found on Cistus in Europe ; the scale is oval, and 

 of a greyish-yellow colour. The adult female has 

 short thick antenna; composed of nine joints, of 

 which the second and third are the longest. 



(3). Lecaniodiaspis yucca, Riley MS , Towns. 



Found on Dasylirion and Yucca in New Mexico^ 

 U.S.A. It has not been formally described, but 



* See Maskell*s "Account of New Zealand Scale-Insects" 

 U887). 



