GREEN TREE HOPPER. 55 



row around the edg^ of a leaf, or along a stem. 

 (Plate 7, Fig. 5. ) We have seen them in both posi- 

 tions. The regularity with which these eggs are 

 placed is most striking. We observed that the 

 }'Oung emerged from the upper end of the egg", and 

 shed its first skin as it did so. The baby hopper is 

 black, without wings, less than i inch in length, 

 and with a head out of all proportion to the rest 

 of its body. After moulting a few times, it becomes 

 green, and wing pads begin to appear. After the 

 final moult, the wings are full grown. It is most 

 interesting to watch the insect getting out of its 

 skin. At the last moult a split is seen down the 

 back of the thorax, and the old skin below this, by 

 means of sundry jerks and working of the body and 

 legs, is pushed of¥; then that part covering the 

 head, eyes and antennae is got rid of. The whole 

 process occupies about an hour. When completed 

 the front feet are used in cleaning the head and 

 antennas. The life from the egg to the adult stage 

 covers a period of seven or eight weeks ; then as 

 perfect insects they live a few more weeks. 



The treehoppers are solitary insects. We have 

 frequently seen some species conceal themselves by 

 fastening the edges of leaves together, thus afford- 

 ing a roof-like shelter. On one occasion we came 

 across a large cocoon of an Emperor Gum Moth, 

 from which the rightful owner had long since flown. 

 The opening was covered by a flimsy web, and on 

 removing this we found a treehopper quite com- 

 fortable inside its appropriated home. The entrance 

 had been apparently concealed in order to keep ofif 



