U LIFE STORl£S OF AUSTRALIAN INSECTS. 



In general structure, the treehopper closely re- 

 sembles the short-horned grasshopper. When 

 wings are present they are usually much longer than 

 the body, and have a decided leaf-like venation. So 

 closely at times do the wings resemble leaves, that 

 they may easily be mistaken for them. 



Many varieties are wingless. 



The hind legs, though slightly larger than the 

 other pairs, do not show the marked development 

 seen in the true hoppers. 



The noise made by these insects is produced by 

 slightly raising the front wings and scraping a pro- 

 minent vein of one upon a resonant vein of the 

 ether. In some species the females are incapable 

 of making any sound. 



Sharp thus describes the structure of the wings 

 for making sound : "One of the wings bears a file 

 on its inner surface, while the other, on the right 

 side of the body, is provided with a sharp edge 

 placed in a prominent part of its inner margin. By 

 slightly tilting the tegmina and by vibrating them 

 rapidly, the edge passes under the file and a musical 

 sound is produced." 



Life History of the Green Tree Hopper. 



{Elcphantodita pinguis.) 



This hopper measures about 3 inches across the 

 outstretched wings. The body is short and the 

 wings extend beyond it. The eggs are about \ inch 

 in length, dark grey in colour, and a pointed ellipse 

 in shape. About 50 or 60 are deposited in a double 



