Mites  of  the  Genus  Tarsoneinus. 
The  eggs  are  comparativelj'  large  and  hatch  out  into 
six-legged  “ larvae.”  These  change  in  turn  to  eight-legged 
“ nymphs,”  elongated  creatures  pointed  at  either  end,  and 
from  these  emerge  the  fully  formed  mites.  In  Septemljer 
last  some  injured  fern  fronds  were  received  from  a nursery 
with  inquiries  about  the  “fern  mite”  which,  it  was  alleged, 
had  made  its  appearance  about  two  years  ago  and  had  since 
become  so  serious  a pest  that  some  nurserymen  had  been 
obliged  to  give  up  the  fern  growing  part  of  their  business. 
Mites  were  found  upon  the  under  surface  of  the  leaves  sent, 
chiefly  congregated  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  veins,  and  all 
stages  were  pi*esent,  from  the  eggs  to  the  mature  males  and 
Fig.  4.— a,  Male  ; B,  Female  ; maffniflecl  atout  100  times,  c,  Under  surface  of  male 
more  highly  magnified. 
females.  They  were  not,  however,  clustered  together  in  large 
numbers  as  in  the  case  of  the  gall  mites,  and  their  collection 
and  examination  was,  therefore,  a very  laborious  matter. 
Previously  known  pests  of  fern  plants  included  thrips, 
certain  beetles,  a saw-fly,  and  a single  mite  of  the  “red-spider” 
group  ; but  no  record  could  be  found  of  attack  by  a mite 
of  the  genus  Tarsonemws,  to  which  the  specimens  examined 
evidently  belonged,  though  they  appeared  to  differ  distinctly 
fi’oni  all  hitherto  described  species.  I therefore  name  it — 
Tarsonemus  tepida riorum,  n.  sp. 
Female;  long-oval,  rounded  posteriorily,  and  white  or  faintly  yellow  in 
colour,  about  ’2  mm.  in  length.  It  differs  little  from  the  female  of  T.  fioriroluis, 
