246 Transactions. 



less vividly with carmine. Costa and veins green. Post-costal area red. 

 More oj less silvery pubescence on whole surface. Sexes similar. Meso- 

 sternum almost wholly pale. 



Long. corp. 15-18 mm. ; tegmen, 16-21 mm. 



Distribution. — Taupo; Wellington (Hutton). Kiver-bed of the Manawatu 

 atPalmerston North; Pipiriki, Wanganui Eiver ; Motueka, Maitai (Hudson). 



This well-marked species is confined to the sand-dunes not far above 

 high-water mark, among Spinifex hirsutus, Coprosma acerosa, and Scirpus 

 frondosus. Its note is shrill and weak, somewhat resembling that of the 

 small cricket. In common with the other littoral species (M. leptomera 

 n. sp.) it exhibits considerable unwillingness to fly ; and the males are out 

 of all comparison much more abundant titan the females. 



10. Melampsalta leptomera n. sp. (Plate XL VI, fig. 1, $.) 



Markings generally as in M. cincta. General colour pale tawny with 

 black markings much obscured by abundant short silvery pubescence. Median 

 pale longitudinal band throughout rather indistinct. Pronotum almost as 

 in M. cincta. Mesonotum black with two pale-brown longitudinal marks 

 containing posteriorly a black dot. Mesosternum black. Abdomen black 

 with the segmental margins faintly red ; but the whole appearing grey, owing 

 to white closely-appressed pubescence. Bases of tegmina and, wings, costa, 

 post-costcd area, and veins orange-yellow. Body and wings very long and 

 narrow. Sexes similar. 



Long. corp. 16-20 mm. ; tegmen, 18-23 mm. 



Distribution. — Lyall Bay, Wellington. January, February. 



This striking species occurs nearer the actual beach than M. cincta, 

 almost exclusively among pingao (Scirpus frondosus), the tawny leaves of 

 which it resembles in colour. The favourite position is low down in the 

 axil of a leaf, with the folded tegmina and convexity of the back fitted 

 into the concavity of the base of the leaf. The insect is extremely difficult 

 to detect. It is comparatively unwilling to take to flight, and sometimes 

 falls to the ground with folded wings, rather than attempt to escape 

 in the usual manner. Possibly this is due to the windy nature of its 

 habitat. The note is extremely weak, though not so high-pitched as that 

 of M . scutellaris. 



11. Melampsalta quadricincta Walk. (Plate XLV : fig. 3, £ ; fig. 4, $.) 



Cicada quadricincta Walk., Cat. Horn. B.M., 191, 1850. C. nervosa 



Walk., I.e., 213. C. cassiope Hudson, Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. 23, 



p. 54, 1891. Melampsalta quadricincta Goding and Froggatt, 



Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W., vol. 29, p. 645, 1 904. M. cassiope Kirby, 



Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. 28, p. 457, 1896. M. mangu White, 



Ent. Mo. Mag., vol. 15, p. 21, 1879. M. mangu Kirby, I.e., p. 457. 



The type of C. quadricincta Walk, is labelled " New Holland,"' but 



no specimens came imder the notice of Goding and Froggatt when they 



monographed the Australian Cicadidae. Considering, therefore, the generally 



vague character of foreign-locality labels in 1850, I think we are justified, 



in the absence of other evidence, in concluding that M. quadricincta syn. 



cassiope, the common alpine cicada of New Zealand, is endemic. 



General colour black with long hairs (especially in the female) and pale 

 pubescence. Frous heavily hirsute ; tawny spot on each side. Vertex — some 

 indication of pale median area. Pronotum considerably wider than head. 

 Mesonotum almost uniform black. Cruciform elevation tawny. Segmental 

 margins of abdomen more or less tawny or reddish. Ventral surface pale 

 oohreous. Wings perfectly transparent, short. Costa and veins fulvous. 



