The Cocckhe of Kansas. 
Contributions from the Entomological Laboratory. No. 6^. 
Author'' s Edition, pubiishcd December //, i8g8. 
liY S. J. HUNTER. 
with IMiktes [ to VII. 
The Homopteran family, Coccida?, in many respects anomalous 
and in others similar, is unique in the diversities of the se.xes and the 
modes of distribution. Sex and genus necessarily present differ- 
ences. The variations existing within a single species, and grada- 
tions between species, however, have proven of peculiar interest. 
It is with these specific differences in view that the studies upon 
this group have been prosecuted. It is believed that from a large 
series of discriminations interesting deductions might be made. 
The manner of preparation and method of study of this group 
have occupied some time. 1 will endeavor’ to give brielly an out- 
line of my observations and experiments upon the techniipie of the 
genera mentioned in this paper. The first work was done with the 
usual bleaching reagent, a strong solution of potassium hydrate, 
washed in water, transferred to fifty per cent alcohol, then to ninety- 
five per cent alcohol and from here to a clearing mixture composed 
of two parts by measure of carbolic acid crj’stals and three parts of 
rectified oil of turpentine, taken from this to slide and mounted in 
xylol-balsam. The difficulties found in this process were: dan- 
gers of boiling too much or of not boiling enougb, specimens had 
to be removed while the liquid was warm else a deposit would col- 
lect upon them and render them useless, material was generally 
more or less macerated and frequently the plates were not retained 
throughout the process. 
