242 Transactions. 



from that of M . cingulata in its much more intermittent though monotonous 

 character. The insects frequent rocks and stumps in the full sunshine, 

 showing little liking for trees, thus differing from the tree-loving M. cingu- 

 lata. They are extremely wary. It was proved that sight is their chief 

 guide by approaching from the opposite side of the rock on which they 

 were resting. A front approach was practically impossible. 



3. Melampsalta cauta n. sp. (Plate XLV, fig. 8, $.) 



Head green in male, cinereous in female, with two black triangular spots 

 posterior to ocelli, which are red. Pronotum black with maroon overmarkings ; 

 anterior and posterior borders pale green, connected by pale-green median line 

 Mesonotum deep reddish-black laterally ; anteriorly two large red obconical 

 marks bordered with black, followed by a pale-green area containing three 

 black spots forming a triangle. Cruciform elevation conical, shining green. 

 Abdomen £ almost uniform black, with faint reddish segmental margins ; 

 ventrally dull bluish-black ; genital segments long and narrow, shining black. 

 Abdomen $ black with segmental margins maroon-red. Indications of faint 

 silvery median stripe. Ventral surface brownish. Indications of yellowish 

 cincture on seventh abdominal segment. Costa reddish or reddish-olive, 

 passing into black on post-costal area. 



Body slender ; tegmina long. Long. corp. 20-21 mm. ; tegmen, 

 26-28 mm. 



Distribution. — Ohakun ; Karori : Dav's Bay. Wellington. December 

 to March. 



This species is perhaps nearest M. scutellaris in markings, but is per- 

 fectly distinct. It frequents bush in hilly country, showing a preference 

 for tree-trunks and logs, and exhibiting probably a greater wariness than 

 any other member of the family. The nature of the country adds to the 

 difficulty of its capture. The song is composed of two notes, much louder 

 than that of M. cruentata, though much less varied and less loud than that 

 of M . cingulata, which the insect strongly resembles in habits. 



Miss Stella Hudson discovered this species at Ohakune. 



4. Melampsalta scutellaris Walk. (Plate XLVI : fig. 3, <3 ; fig. 4, $.) 



Cicada scutellaris Walk., Cat. Horn. B.M., 1850, 150. C. arche, I.e., 

 195. C. tristis Hudson, Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. 23, p. 52, 1891. 

 Cicadetta scutellaris Kirkaldy, Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. 41, p. 27, 

 1909. 



Goding and Froggatt (Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W., vol. 29, p. 642), follow- 

 ing Stal, consider C. arche a synonym of the Australian M. telxiope Walk. 

 Kirkaldy (I.e., p. 27) regards C. arche as a doubtful species and its 

 synonymy with M. telxiope improbable. However this may be, our New 

 Zealand M. scutellaris, which Kirby (Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. 28, p. 457, 

 1896), places in synonymy with C. arche, is certainly distinct from 

 M. telxiope. Walker's type of C. arche is a " specimen bleached almost 

 beyond recognition " (Kirby). 



Head brassy to bronzy green. Vertex concolorous. Pronotum greenish 

 with slight blackish markings and paler median streak widening posteriorly. 

 Streak often dull-reddish. Mesonotum with four obconical pinkish areas 

 from anterior border, streaked with black, the two median areas half the 

 length of the two laterals. Cruciform elevation glabrous-green, conical. 



