HA R D WICKE ' S SC/ENCE-GOSSIP. 



77 



Professor Townsend * has given characters by which 

 it may be recognised. The scale is round, hemi- 

 spherical, and whitish, 3 to 4 millim. diameter : it has 

 a median longitudinal carina. It infests the upper 

 sides of the leaves of the host-plants, chiefly at and 

 near their bases. 



ASTEROLECANIUM, Targ. 



- (4). Asterolecanium bamhtsit, Boisduval. 



Found originally on cultivated bamboos in Algeria : 

 but I have been so fortunate as to meet with it in 

 some numbers on the stems of a bamboo growing 

 by the hotel at Moneague, Jamaica. The V scales 

 (Fig. 59, n) are about 3 millim. long, oval, slightly 



(6). Asterolecanium pal ma t n. sp. 



A very small species found with Fiorinia fioriniie, 

 to which it has some superficial resemblance, on 

 leaves of cocoa-nut palm, collected by Dr. Sinclair 

 near Montego Bay, Jamaica. The scale (Fig. 59, p) 

 is lemon-yellow, with a well-formed fringe, and long 

 pink filaments at each end. The fringe consists of 

 waxy filaments, mostly in pairs, diverging from one 

 another near their ends (Fig. 59, q). The shape of 

 the scale is elongate, narrower than A. miliaris. 



(7). Asterolecanium aureum, Boisd. 

 Found on Maranta vittaia in hothouses. It is of 

 a golden yellow colour. 



Fig. 59 — Planchonia oncidii: A, cephalic portion of young larva, to show antennze. Planchonia pustulans : b, posterior end of 

 body of adult $ ; c, middle leg of young larva ; D, mouth parts of adult $ ; e, f, abdominal and thoracic marginal glands of 

 adult 2 ; G, egg ; h, immature scale ; I, fringe of immature 2 ; J, mature 2 scale ; K, fringe of mature 2 ; L, M, figures to 

 illustrate nature of fringe. Asterolecanium bambusiz : N, adult 2 scale; o, supposed cf scale. Asterolecanium palms : 

 p, adult 2 scale; Q, fringe of same. Parasite: R, antenna. (All magnified.) 



convex, pale greenish-white. The slightly pinkish 

 fringe is very distinct, but easily falls off. The male 

 scale is apparently undescribed. I found many little 

 flask-shaped scales, only 1 millim. long, (Fig. 59, o) 

 which I suppose to be those of the male. 



(5). Asterolecanium miliaris, Boisd. 

 This was found on different cultivated bamboos in 

 Algeria, and is much like the last, but more elongate, 

 and keeled. 



* "Scale-Insects in New Mexico" (1892), p. 13. 



PLANCHONIA, Sign. 



(8) . Planchonia Jimbriata, Fonx. 



This species occurs in the neighbourhood of Aix, 

 on Corotiilla glauca. It is oval, light yellow, with a 

 distinct fringe. The larva has 6-jointed antennas. 



(9) . Planchonia pustulans, Ckll. 



A West Indian species, briefly indicated as Astero- 

 diaspis pustulans in Journ. Inst. Jamaica, Aug., 1S92, 

 p. 143, but now first described in detail. 



The scale is slightly convex, in outline nearly 



