THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 253 



Sub-family CEcanthin/E. 



We have one genus, Qlcanthus, the species of which are slender, 

 delicate insects of pale greenish or whitish colours, living on trees, 

 shrubs or tall herbs. The males differ considerably from the females in 

 appearance, on account of the great width of the tegmina, which are 

 much broader than the body, while those of the female are narrow and fit 

 closely around the abdomen. 



Only three species have been found in Ontario, but there are 

 doubtless others in the south-western part of the Province. 

 Key to the Ontario species of (Ecanthns : 

 a. Antennfe with but one black mark on each of the two basal joints, 

 black marks in the form of small rounded dots 12. ?iiveus. 



aa. Antennae either wholly black or with two black marks on each of the 

 two basal joints. 



b. Head and thorax either black or trifasciate with black or 

 fuscous ; antennae usually black, when pale the marks on the 



first joint generally connected ,at apex 13. fasciatiis. 



bb. Wholly pale greenish or yellowish, translucent ; marks on the 



antennse elongate, parallel, distinct 14. quadripunctatus. 



12. CEcANTHUS NiVEUS, Dc Gcer. The Snowy Tree Cricket. 



Gryllns niveus, De G., Mem. pour serv. a I'hist des Ins., III., 1773, 



522. 



GEcanthus niveus. Fitch., Trans. N. Y. State Agric. Soc, XVI., 

 1856, 404. 



Measurements: Length of body, $ 10.5 mm., 9 11 mm.; of 

 tegmen, $ 13.3 mm., 9 12.3 mm.; of hind femur, c? 9 8 mm.; of 

 ovipositor, 4.6 mm.; width of $ tegmen, 5.25 mm. 



This well-known insect is very common in the cultivated parts of 

 Ontario, where it frequents orchards, vines and shade trees. Its song is 

 the soft rhythmical " treat, treat, treat," which can be heard any evening 

 in late summer or autumn. It is also heard in the day-time in cloudy 

 weather, but at such times is much more subdued. 



Of native trees I have found it most partial to butternut, but it 

 occurs on many others. At De Grassi Point, Lake Simcoe, I have often 

 traced the song to the tree from which it came, and it was very often a 

 butternut, but sometimes an elm, maple or other hard wood. 



