The purpose of this article is to place before the fruit-growers and all interested in practial entomology, the main facts regarding the lifehistory, habits and appearance of the Oyster-shell Bark-louse Scale, and of the scales which are often mistaken for it. The damage done by this scale of late years has attracted so much attention, and so many enquiries have been received concerning the best methods for its eradication, that it is hoped earnest efforts will be made at once by all concerned to get it under control.

Some years ago Mr. J. M. Espin, of Guantanamo, Cuba, sent to Dr. L. O. Howard for names some parasitic Hymenopetera, among which I indicated a new genus, but which I neglected to describe. As Mr. Espin has rcently written about it aand desires its early description, I submit the following:

Neslinoceras, new genus.

A curious little error has crept into the description of this mosquito, and has been carried into so many authors that it seems as if the easiest way would be for the insect to rearrange its markings.

Wiedmann, in his description (Ansse Europ. Zweifleg, Ins., p. 12, 1828) says: “Taster bräunlich schwarz, glieder an der Wurzel wenig shneeweiss,” but this is, of course, a broad generalization, and thwords are used loosely.

This portion of the synopsis was kindly prepared by Mr. J. C. Crawford, and is based on material, in the main, from Dr. Cordley, of Corvallis, Oregon; Prof. Harvey, of Victoria, British Columbia, and Mr. Venables, of Vernon. B.C. A species from Montana is also described.

There have been described thus far three species of this genus from the United States, two of them known only in the male sex, the third known only in the female sex. A fourth species, known only in the female sex, is described below. The types of œqualis, Nort., and simplocicornis, Cress., are in the collections of the American Entomological Society, and I am indebted to Mr. J. Chester Bradley for examining these types and furnishing me with the notes on which the descriptions given below are based.

Theoneo stridula, new species.—Male: Length, 78 mm; cephalo thorax, wide.35 mm., long.39 mm. In the following table the measurments are give in millimeters:

Cephalothorax short and moderately elevated, sides arcuate, slightly narrowed in fornt, dull grayish-yellow, eyes surronded by narrow black rings; posterior eyes in a slightly recurved line, equal, the median separated from each other by one and one-half times their diameter, and from the lateral by one-half their diameter; anterior eyes in a very slightly procurved line, subcontiguous, the median smaller that the lateral; median ocular area wider behind than in front and wider than long.

The larvæ of the four species described below were collected, with a large number of others, form temporary pools which form on the plains around this city after the seasonal rains. The different species were separated into breeding bottles, and specimens of the larval skin casts and of the larvæ themselves, when abundant, were preserved for study.