AN ACCOUNT

OF THE

INSECTS NOXIOUS TO AGRICULTURE AND PLANTS

IN

NEW ZEALAND.

THE SCALE-INSECTS
(COCCIDIDÆ).

By W. M. MASKELL, F.R.M.S.,
REGISTRAR OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW ZEALAND.

WELLINGTON:
BY AUTHORITY: GEO. DIDSBURY, GOVERNMENT PRINTER.
1887.

Mr. Maskell's Account of the Scale-Insects occurring in New Zealand is published by the State Forests and Agricultural Department, under the instructions of the Hon. John Ballance, Commissioner of State Forests.

Wellington, 31st March, 1887.

CONTENTS.

PREFACE.

The number and variety of the insect pests which live on the plants of New Zealand, whether native or introduced, and the damage which they frequently do, form the excuse for the appearance of this work. The descriptions of these insects in the Transactions of the New Zealand Institute, or in works published in Europe and America, are not easily accessible to the general reader, and are also much scattered and fragmentary. It was thought therefore that the time had arrived when the information which might be useful to gardeners and tree-growers, as well as to students, might be summarized and brought together in a compendious form, and the present volume is an attempt towards this.

In order to render this work complete a second volume is necessary, which should include the large number of other destructive insects preying upon various plants. For example, the "pine-blight" (Kermaphis), the "American blight" (Eriosoma), the "black leech" (Tenthredo), the cabbage caterpillar, the turnip "fly," the various aphides on roses, geraniums, &c., the grass-grub (Odontria), the codlin-moth, the borers, weevils, wireworms, and a number of others are in different places damaging trees and plants, and it would be useful to collect in one volume information regarding them. The author has had in contemplation the preparation of such a volume, and it is hoped that it may be at some future time published.

Meanwhile the present is offered as, at least as far as it goes, a full description of one of the most general as well as the most noxious families of plant-parasites. The plates have been especially prepared with a double object: first, that gardeners and tree-growers might be able easily to recognize the kind of insect which might happen to be damaging their plants; and, secondly, that the student who should desire to know more of this curious family might have enough details indicated to guide him in his investigation. For the first purpose the figures have been coloured as near to nature as possible; for the second a few anatomical details have been introduced. The printing of these plates has been executed by Mr. Potts, lithographer to Mr. A. Willis, of Wanganui, and it is hoped that the reader may be well satisfied with the care and trouble which have been bestowed upon them.

The author is sensible that this volume may contain numerous imperfections; but these will not, he trusts, be attributed to culpable ignorance or carelessness.

EXPLANATION OF TERMS USED IN THE FOLLOWING PAGES.

Abdomen. The posterior half of the body of male or female, whether joined to the anterior half or slightly separated, segmented or not.

Abdominal cleft. A narrow slit in the extremity of the abdomen of Lecanidinæ and the full-grown Hemicoccidinæ only.