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. ([Plate IX.], Fig. 1, b, c.) On the upper side of the body are seen the
Abdominal lobes, two minute, divergent, triangular or conical, excrescences, one on each side of the cleft, in Lecanidinæ, usually bearing one or more hairs. ([Plate XI.], Fig. 3, b, c.)
Abdominal spike. A more or less long, tubular or semi-tubular, pointed process terminating the abdomen of the male in all species, and serving as a sheath for the penis, which is a long, white, soft tube with recurved hairs. ([Plate II.], Fig. 3; [XXI], Fig. 1, k.)