338 W. D. FUNKHOUSER 



The foliaceous tibia as represented in the type genus (Plate xxxvi, 

 1-3) shows a decided variation in the three pairs of legs. In the first and 

 second pairs the tibiae are broadly foliaceous, often three times as wide as 

 the femur, and generally smooth and without spines or bristles. In the 

 posterior pair of legs the tibiae are proportionately much narrower and 

 less leaf-Hke, and are usually armed with strong teeth, or spines. 



The fore tibia is the broadest in proportion to its length (Plate xxxvi, 1). 

 The proximal end is lobed to conform to the configuration of the distal 

 end of the femur. The anterior margin of the segment is suddenly swollen 

 to form a wide lobe at about the middle. The posterior margin is less 

 convex and rather regularly curved. The distal end is slightly notched in 

 the middle to receive the first joint of the tarsus, which appears remarkably 

 attenuated as compared with the broad tibia above. Buckton (1903:26) 

 has described and figured a gland on the front tibia of Membracis mexicana 

 Guer. This gland he represents as a disk-like, punctate organ, occupying 

 nearly half the diameter of the distal extremity of the segment. A care- 

 ful study of a series of specimens, both male and female, of this species 

 fails to show the slightest evidence of such a structure, nor has any develop- 

 ment approximating such a gland been found in any other species of the 

 genus or in the family. Apparently no other workers in the Membracidae 

 have noted such a modification of the tibia, and it would be interesting 

 to know the exact data on which Buckton based his description. 



The second tibia is longer than the first and proportionately not so broad. 

 As in the fore leg, the anterior margin is more curved than the posterior, 

 and the extremities are modified in a similar manner. 



The hind tibia is longer, narrower, and less foliaceous than the first and 

 the second. "It is usually margined by teeth on both the anterior and the 

 posterior edge, and smooth on the lateral and the mesal surface. Each 

 segment is inclined to be hollowed out on the lateral surface and convex 

 on the mesal (Plate xxxvi, 10-12), so that in cross section the segment is 

 more or less curved. The fore tibia is more nearly uniform in thickness 

 (Plate XXXVI, 10), the middle tibia is thickened toward the anterior 

 margin (Plate xxxvi, 11); and the hind tibia is much swollen anteriorly 

 to produce a heavy ridge (Plate xxxvi, 12). The hind tibia is often 

 channeled or grooved along the anterior margin, giving a somewhat 

 triquetrous appearance to the whole segment. 



