About the middle of April, the second moult takes place, and there has now been added another joint to the antenna, making it seven-jointed, there has been a slight increase in the length of the tibia, although actually the legs remain about the same size, and the number of submarginal tubercules is doubled. Apart from these slight changes, there is no appreciable alteration except a very slight increase in size.

One lucky enough to prepare specimens just before the moult takes place can observe several facts worthy of notice. The new skin —together with the marginal setae and stigmatic spines—is seen to be fully formed before such parts as the legs, antennae, anal complex, and submarginal tubercules. All these latter are seen to be still in a soft state, which is still further exemplified by the way they take the stain. Another fact is that the rostrum is cast off entire, together with the rostral setae, and the new setae can be seen neatly coiled upon each side of the new rostrum. It may also be observed that the submarginal tubercules are developed in quite a different place from, where they are in the previous instar.

For the next seven months very little alteration takes place, even in size, until about the second week in October, when the first adults make their appearance, and it is easy to recognise those that have just moulted by the presence of a little white pellet above the anal complex. The stigmatic spines are now very much longer, and are again subequal; the submarginal tubercules have again nearly doubled in number; in typical specimens another joint has been added to the antenna, and six transverse bands of large multilocular pores have made their appearance on the ventral surface between the anal complex and the posterior pair of legs, with a group of similar pores near to the coxae of the anterior and middle pairs of legs. For some reason, probably climatic, the antenna and the submarginal tubercules may remain as in the pre-adult instar, but in such instances the multilocular pores are always present, and as stated before, these pores can always be looked on as signs of sexual maturity. After the last moult, the insects increase rapidly in size, and when egg-laying begins, become more and more convex, while at the same time the derm assumes a darker hue, and becomes quite hard, with a slight longitudinal carina. About the end of November, egg-laying commences, and at the end of December the first of the young larvae will have made their appearance. The times given here are approximate only, as it has been noticed that the time of moulting, egg-laying, or hatching of the eggs may extend over a period of at least a month, but in this district, at least, there is only one generation a year.

A description of the various instars and varieties of L. persicae found in this country follows:—

Lecanium (Eulecanium) persicae (Fabricius).

Coccus persicae Fab., Gens. Ins. Mani., 1766, p. 304.

Lecanium persicae (Fab.), Marchal, Soc. Ent. de France, vol. 77, 1908, p. 285.

Larva. Emerges end of December. Antenna of six joints, last joint slightly longer than the third, formula: 6, 3, 5 (1, 2, 4). Rostrum and mentum normal. Legs normal, rather stout, tibia and

tarsus about equal. Spiracles normal, placed close to the margin, with which they are connected by a row of three small quinquelocular pores; stigmatic spines in triplicate, very short, subequal. Plates of anal complex roughly triangular, appearing in mounted specimens to be divergent, and not extending beyond the posterior margin of the body; with one very long seta at apex and another very short on each side of it. The usual three pairs of stout setae on the ventral surface above the anal complex. Marginal setae present, simple, longest and stoutest at either extremity. Submarginal tubercules net recognised. Tubular ducts not observed. On the dorsum there are two submedian longitudinal rows of what look like 8-shaped pores; these are very small, and each row extends from the anal complex to just above the rostrum, when the insect has been flattened on the slide. A side view of these pores shows them like very small twin projections of the derm. There are ten in each row. Length of insect, 0.34 mm.; width, 0.18 mm.

Larva moult middle of February.

Female of Second Instar. Elongate, not chitinised, flat. Antenna of six joints, third joint longest, formula: 3, 6, 2 (1, 5) 4. Rostrum and mentum normal. Spiracles normal, connected with the margin by a single row of quinquelocular pores; stigmatic spines in triplicate, the middle one being much the longest and thickest. Legs normal, very stout. tibia slightly longer than tarsus; one digitule of claw thicker than the other. Anal cleft moderately deep, open. Eight submarginal tubercules, two on each side behind the posterior spiracles, one on each side between the anterior and posterior spiracles, and a pair above the anterior spiracles near the antennae Plates of anal complex roughly triangular, set close together; inner margin longest, straight, base shortest and slightly concave, outer margin convex, apex rounded, with three small setae at apex and another in an indentation on the inner margin. There are about four fairly long and stout setae at the margin of the vellum, and three pairs of long stout anal-ring setae. The usual three pairs of stout setae on the ventral surface above anal complex, and, on a level with the middle pair, there is a transverse row of five minute spines. A sparse submarginal band of small tubular ducts round body. Marginal setae present, simple. Length about 1.04 mm.; width about 0.37 mm.

Second moult middle of April.

Female of Third Instar. Elongate, flat, soft, not chitinised. Antenna of seven joints, third joint longest, formula: 3, 4, 7, 2, 1 (5, 6). Rostrum and mentum normal. Spiracles normal, connected with the margin by an irregular row of quinquelocular pores; stigmatic spines in triplicate the centre one being much the longest and thickest. Legs normal, stout, tibia one-third longer than tarsus; one digitule of claw thicker than the other. Anal cleft open. Plates of anal complex roughly triangular: inner margin longest, straight, with a single indentation towards apex; base shortest, straight or slightly concave outer margin convex, apex rounded; with one fine seta near outer margin and about three more at apex. With from fifteen to seventeen

submarginal tubercules on the dorsal surface arranged as follows: three to five on each side behind posterior stigmatic area; one between anterior and posterior stigmatic areas; four to seven in half circle above anterior stigmatic areas. Marginal setae present, similar to those of the previous instar. The usual three pairs of setae above the anal complex, and on a level with the middle pair there are five very minute spines in a transverse row, the two outer ones being in pairs, with a wider interval separating each pair from the centre one. Length about 1.10 to 1.48 mm.; width about 0.60 mm. to 0.82 mm.

Third moult about 15th October.

Early Adult Female. Ovate, flat or slightly convex, soft, with a somewhat wavy outline. Antenna of eight joints, third joint longest; formula: 3, 4, 5, 2, 8, 1 (6, 7). Rostrum normal. Spiracles normal, with a broad band of quinquelocular pores connecting with the margin; stigmatic spines in triplicate, long, subequal in length, the centre one being slightly thicker than the others. Legs normal, slender, tibia two-thirds longer than tarsus. Marginal setae differing in length and thickness, about three on each side of anal cleft being very thick; with an inner row of very short fine setae. Anal cleft not fused, but with the margins sometimes overlapping. Plates of anal complex roughly triangular: in typical specimens the inner margin is longest with two indentations, in each of which there is a stout seta; base shortest, straight or slightly concave; outer margin convex, and apex rounded with three short setae. In abnormal specimens in which the antenna is seven-jointed and with about sixteen sub-marginal tubercules, the anal plates are similar to those of the previous instar. Ventral surface with the usual three pairs of stout setae above anal complex. A broad band of multilocular pores surrounds the anal complex, with six transverse bands above, the uppermost being between the hind pair of legs; a loose scattered group of pores near to the coxae of the anterior and middle pair of legs. A broad submarginal band of tubular ducts is on the ventral surface. Two longitudinal rows of stout spines, submedian, on the ventral surface, and a few more scattered indiscriminately. Dorsally, a submarginal row of large tubercules is arranged as follows: seven to nine on each side behind the posterior stigmatic area: two—sometimes three—between the anterior and posterior stigmatic areas; nine to eleven in a half circle above anterior stigmatic areas. Two very stout and three fine setae near inner base of each antenna. Length of early adults 2.34 mm. to 4.40 mm.; width about 1.87 mm. to 2.88 mm.

Old Adult Female (Typical). With dorsal derm deeply chitinised, hard, convex, with a distinct longitudinal median carina. Antenna of eight joints, third joint longest, formula: 3, 4, 5, 2, 8, 1 (6, 7). Spiracles normal, connected with the margin by a broad band of quinquelocular pores. Stigmatic spines in triplicate, long, sub-equal. Legs normal, slender, tibia much longer than tarsus. Anal complex normal. A broad submarginal band of tubular ducts on ventral surface, also derm spines and large multilocular pores, but full particulars not obtainable owing to dense chitin of the dorsum.

Dorsum with numerous small clear areas of cells, giving the derm a punctate appearance; these are most numerous towards the margin of the body and sparse in the centre; the cells surrounding the anal complex and along the margin of the cleft are oblong and larger. Submarginal tubercules present on dorsum as in early adult. Length 4.65 mm. to 9.20 mm.; width about 3.50 mm to 6.28 mm.

A variation sometimes found is where the adult female remains as in the third instar, the derm becomes convex and deeply chitinised, the same punctate appearance is to be seen as occurs in typical specimens, and the large multilocular pores are also present, showing that the insects are sexually mature. Such females do not appear to reach the large size found in typical specimens.

Hab.: On grape, broom, honeysuckle, plum, gooseberry, hawthorn, tree lucerne, lemon, Pittosporum sp., Aristotelia sp., Wistaria sp., Motueka, N.Z.

Lecanium (Eulecanium) persicae (Fab.) spinosum n.subsp.

Early adult female. Elongate-ovate, with a wavy outline, lightly chitinised, fairly soft, slightly convex. Antenna of eight joints, third or fourth joints longest, formulas: 4, 3 (2, 5) 1, 8, 6, 7 or 3, 4, 8, 2 (1, 5) 6, 7. Rostrum and mentum normal. Legs normal, slender, tibia one-third longer than tarsus; one digitule of claw thicker than the other. Spiracles normal, connected with the margin by a broad band of quinquelocular pores; stigmatic spines in triplicate, the centre one being slightly longer and thicker than the others. Anal cleft open. Plates of anal complex roughly triangular; inner margin longest, with three indentations, in each of which there is a fairly stout seta; base shortest, straight; outer margin convex, apex rounded with three short setae. Multilocular pores present on ventral derm, very numerous, there being a broad band surrounding the anal complex, and seven transverse bands above, the uppermost being between the middle pair of legs. A submarginal band of tubular duets on ventral surface, those at the cephalic extremity being fever and more scattered. Ventral derm spines present, very large and conical, with blunt points, those at the posterior extremity in irregular transverse rows. Marginal setae present, simple, also the usual three pairs above anal complex. Very large submarginal tubercules present on dorsal surface, numbering from twenty-eight to thirty, arranged as follows: seven to nine on each side behind posterior stigmatic areas; two between anterior and posterior areas; ten in half circle above anterior stigmatic areas. In old adults he dorsal derm is hard and chitinised, convex, and is evenly punctured with small clear areas or cells. Length of early adults about 2.34 mm.; width about 1.58 mm. Length of old adults 6.80 mm.; width 5.40 mm.

Hab.: On Wistaria sp., Ngatea, N.Z.

This is undoubtedly a distinct variety, and it differs from typical L. persicae (Fab.) in the following particulars: in having an extra notch and seta on the inner margin of the anal plates, in the much larger submarginal tubercules, in an additional transverse band of