62 HEMIPTERA-HOMOPTERA. 
except in one or two cases, they are, if anything, a hindrance rather than a help. At 
the same time it is doubtful whether any satisfactory descriptions can be given for the 
determination ‘of species, and the synonymic arrangement below adopted after a 
careful examination of a very large number of examples cannot be regarded as more 
than provisional, for there appears to be no particular distinguishing character that 
can be reliably adopted as a basis to work upon. I have endeavoured to find one in 
the male characters, but, although there appears to be a slight difference in certain 
species, yet it is so very slight, as far as I have seen, and so difficult to work out, that 
it is scarcely worth while to consider it. In certain species the males and females 
appear to differ considerably in the formation of the pronotal horn, and have hitherto 
been described as distinct. 
_ Inthe Vienna Museum collection there are four specimens of what apparently is 
the larval or pupal state of a species belonging to the A. pallescens group ; it is shaped 
like a small Aconophora in the perfect state, but has no tegmina, these being replaced 
by a long corneous piece on each side; the head and eyes are large and the latter are 
furnished on their inner side with a long thick tapering black seta. 
1. Aconophora mexicana. (Tab. V. figg: 8, 8a.) 
Aconophora mexicana, Stal, Stett. ent. Zeit. 1864, p. 70°. 
Hab. Mexico (Mus. Holm. & coll. Signoret1), Vera Cruz (Sallé), Atoyac in Vera 
Cruz (Schumann), Dos Arreyos in Guerrero 1000 feet (H. H. Smith), Valladolid in 
Yucatan (Gawmer) ; GuaTeMaLa; Panama, Volcan de Chiriqui (Champion).—CoLomBIa 
(Mus. Roy. Belg.). 
This is a very distinct species, being clothed with yellowish shining pubescence, with 
the dorsal line and a broad line on each side of it smooth, which gives the insect a 
striped appearance. Mr. Butler (Cist. Ent. ii. p. 847) says of this species: “I think it 
very doubtful whether thisis more than a variety of the preceding species” (A. stabilis) ; 
but Walker’s type of A. stabilis is very different from the true A. mexicana, which 
does not appear to be in the British.Museum collection at all, one or two other species, 
which certainly are closely allied to A. stabilis, being made to do duty for it. Through 
the kindness of Dr. Aurivillius I have been enabled to examine one of St&l’s types. 
We have received a considerable series of A. mexicana from Atoyac. A specimen 
from Volcan de Chiriqui is figured. 
2. Aconophora caliginosa. (Tab. V. figg. 9, 92.) 
Aconophora caliginosa, Walk. List of Homopt. Ins., Suppl. p. 185 '. 
Hab. Mexico, Teapa in Tabasco (H. H. Smith); Guatemata (Deby1), Chacoj and 
Tanquin in Vera Paz, Coatepeque (Champion); Nicaragua, Chontales (Janson) ; 
Panama, Bugaba, David, San Feliz (Champion). 
