•254 JOUEXAL OF THE EOYAL HOETICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
The Egyptian Icerya 
(Icerya cBgyptiacum, Douglas). 
This insect was first discovered by Rear- Admiral Bloomfield. ^^ho 
described it to me as "the eleventh Egyptian plague/' He found it so 
very destructive that he took steps and had a quantity of Yedalia 
beetles imported, which I believe did excellent work. It has only once 
occurred in England, and this was a few years since, when, acting on my 
advice, the infested plant upon which it was imported was wisely de- 
stroyed, and nothing further has been heard of it. 
Xatueal Enemies of the Coccid^. 
Coccids all the world over are subjected to the attacks of internal 
parasites, which are the larvae of minute hymenopterous insects. Certain 
coccids are more subject to the attacks of these parasitic insects than 
others. Thus, for example, Lecanium genevense is much subject to them^ 
while Mytilaspis pomoriun is almost immune. 
Birds play an important part in checking certain species, as I have 
proved by post-mortem examinations. All the Paridfe (Tits) are useful in 
this respect, but the Blue Tit (P. cceruleus) feeds more extensively upon 
them than any other species. The coccids are chiefly attacked in winter, and 
the birds show a decided preference for 21ytilaspis loomorum, Aspidiotus 
zonatus, and Asterodiaspis quercicola. I have found as many as fifty 
specimens of the first-named species in the stomach of the Blue Tit, which 
places the usefuhiess of this bird beyond all doubt. It is most regrettable, 
however, that the Tits should have acquired the habit of pecking ripe 
Pears, which makes them a worse pest than the coccids. But fortunately 
the habit is not by any means universal, and we may generally look upon 
them as beneficial in clearing off insects of all kinds. 
Methods of Prevention and Remedies. 
I have little to ofter in regard to remedies that can be considered new, 
and I have no doubt that not a few of the formulas given will be familiar 
to many horticulturists ; at the same time they, for the most part, are 
well-tried receipts, and such as have proved of the most reliable and 
effective character. 
The Americans and some of our colonists have long been to the fore- 
front in the subject of economic entomology, and have rendered great 
ser%'ice to fruit-growers all the world over by the excellent and valuable 
information which they have given ; where information has been taken 
from such sources full acknowledgment has been made to the authors. 
In this country there is no recognised systematic method of preven- 
tion against scale insects or any other kind of pest, which, to say the 
least of it, is a very unsatisfactory state of affairs, resulting only too 
frequently m the introduction of new coccid pests from all quarters of 
