4 58 Transac tions . — Zoology . 



IX. Melampsalta iolanthe, Hudson. 



Cicada iolanthe, Hudson, Trans. N.Z. Inst., xxiii., p. 53 

 (1891); Man. N.Z. Ins., p. 119, pi. 20, figs. 3, 3fl, 3b 

 (1892). 



If this form is constant, it appears to be quite distinct from 

 any of the foregoing species. 



In addition to the foregoing species, Dr. Buchanan White 

 enumerates M. telxiope, Walker {— duplex, Walker = arche, 

 Walker). The types of telxiope and duplex, which appear to 

 be synonymous, are from Australia, and I regard the bleached 

 C. arche as certainly referable to M. scutellaris. 



I cannot tell, without working out the great genus Me- 

 lampsalta, which I have not time to undertake at present, 

 whether any of the New Zealand species are identiccxl with 

 some of those described by Walker or others, under other 

 names, from Australia, Tasmania, or unrecorded localities. 

 Some of the New Zealand species appear to be very variable ; 

 and there must be many still undiscovered. It would be de- 

 sirable for resident entomologists to try to obtain a series of 

 the species occurring in different localities, in order to work 

 out this small but interesting branch of the New Zealand 

 fauna exhaustively. 



From Australia (including Tasmania) about eighty Cica- 

 didce are at present recorded, belonging to the following 

 genera : — 



'■•Thopha, Amyot (four species). 

 ■'■CyclochUa, Amyot (one species). 

 Dundubia, x\myot (one species). 

 ■' Henicopsaltria, Still (two species). 

 ^'Macrotristria, StJil (one species). 

 Ghremistica, Stal (four species). 

 '■'Fsaltoda, Stal (nine species). 

 Huechys, x\myot (one species). 

 Tibicina, Amyot (nine species). 

 Abroma, Stal (two species). 

 ■'Cyrtosoma, Westw. (two species). 

 ■''GIdorocysta, Westw. (two species). 

 ■■'•Tettigareta, White (two species). 

 Melavipsalta, Amyot (thirty-seven species). 



It is true that the cicad fauna of New Zealand is very 

 much poorer than that of AustraUa, and that some of the 

 genera above enumerated are tropical or subtropical forms ; 

 but both countries are very imperfectly explored at present — 

 it can hardly be supposed that when Australia has fourteen 

 genera — eight of which (indicated by an asterisk) are peculiar 

 to the country — and eighty-three species. New Zealand has 

 only one genus, represented by eight species in all. At any 



