346 



Journal of Agricultural Research 



Vol. Ill, No. 4 



trees, but does not say whether it was feeding thereon or not. Prof. 

 Osbom (ii) reported it in 1910 as feeding upon both alfalfa and clover. 

 The writer has found the species, feeding as well as breeding on Bermuda 

 grass {Capriola dactylon), Johnson grass {Sorghum halepense), wheat 

 (Triticum spp.), barley {Hordeum sativum), oats (Avena sativa), bur 

 clover (Medicago denticulata) , yellow sweet clover (Melilotus officinalis), 

 and alfalfa, which, as has been stated, is its principal food plant. 



Mr. T. Scott Wilson took specimens feeding on soy bean (Glycine 

 hispida) at Sacaton, Ariz., and Mr. Edmund H. Gibson, besides reporting 

 the species as feeding upon alfalfa, also finds it feeding upon vetch and 

 Hordeum murinum at Tempe, Ariz., and upon red clover and cowpeas at 

 Greenwood, Miss., and in fact doing its greatest damage to the last- 

 named plant. Dr. A. W. Morrill, vState Entomologist of Arizona, has 

 found the insect feeding upon beans and in some instances proving a pest 

 to that plant. Late in the season one finds the insect resting upon many 

 varieties of plants, but whether feeding on all these is unknown. Mr. 

 R. N. Wilson found it upon the following plants: Sunflower, upon which 

 it was doubtless feeding; cocklebur; A triplex truncata; Erigcron cana- 

 densis and Eriger on sp.; mesquite and cottonwood, feeding on the former; 

 Sporobolus airoides, and Trichlaris mendocina. 



DESCRIPTION OF THE THREE-CORNERED ALFALFA HOPPER 



THE ADULT 



The adults (PI. XLIII, fig. i) are about 6.16 mm. long and light green 

 in color. The accompanying table of measurements (Table I) made by 

 Mr. Gibson shows that the males are shghtly smaller than the females. 



Table I. — Length of live adults of the three-cornered alfalfa hopper 



> Average length of to adults, 5 males and s females, is 6. 16 i 



The males have a reddish line down the dorsum of the prothoracic 

 shield. This marking, being absent in the female, is a sex character by 

 which mature males and females are quite readily distinguishable. The 

 insects are triangular in shape, presenting a broad solid aspect when 

 viewed from the front (PL XLIII, fig. i, b). The following original de- 

 scription, made by Thomas Say (i) in 1831, was evidently made from 

 male specimens, because, as is mentioned above, the females do not have 

 the "carina tinged with rufous." 



Thorax with a subacute line each side before, meeting behind the middle. 

 Inhabits Florida. 



