24 THE REPORT OF THE No. 36 



1562. C. obtusa Say. Quebec, Ontario. 



(a) Var. achatina Germ. 



(b) Var. t'cstacea Fh. 



(c) Var. tristis V. D. 



1566. C. proteus Fh. Quebec, Ontario. 



(a) Var. proteus Fh. 



(b) Var. vittata Ball. 



(c) Var. pini Fh. 



The commouest Cercopid in the Province of Quebec is Philaemis leucophthaJ- 

 mus Linn, with its hosts of varieties. This insect is found swarming in meadows 

 4ind Osborn has called it the meadow Froghopper. It feeds upon the common 

 flowers, such as the buttercup, yarrow, thistle, daisy, clover, and particularly the 

 golden-rod. 



The Ggg is moderately elongated, irregularly elliptic, about three times as 

 long as broad, narrowing to one end, slightly flattened. One side straight or 

 slightly incurved, the outer convexly curved, giving the egg a slightly curved 

 appearance. The shell is tough and hard and developed while the eggs are still 

 in the ovariole ducts. 



They are deposited in the stalks of their food plants and pa&s the winter there. 



The young hatch out early in the summer, during June, and after passing 

 through five stages emerge as adults throughout July and part of August. 



The nymphs are somewhat like the adults even in the earliest stages and 

 gradually become more like it. The fifth instar is to all intents and purposes a 

 pupal stage and in their later stages show colour and have large wing-pads. 



As already mentioned this species is extremely variable, running from plain 

 yellow to black and having varied patterns. According to Fallemand in Genera 

 Insectorum, there are at least seventeen well-marked varieties, and Van Duzef 

 lists eight as occuring in America, north of Mexico. I have at least six distinct 

 varieties, but there are many others and the intergrading makes it difficult to 

 separate them. Different varieties mate together .and it would be interesting to 

 breed them and see what a brood would bring forth. 



The second commonest Cercopid is Philaenn^ lineatus Linn., or the Lined 

 Spittle Hopper, or as Osboni calls it, the Grassfeeding Froghopper. This insect 

 "belongs to the same genus as does the first mentioned and has a similar life history, 

 but feeds upon grass, timothy and red-top. This is a European species introduced 

 into Canada. It is remarkable in that the former species is very variable, this 

 •one is constant in its form and coloring. The male is a little smaller than the 

 female. 



Aphrophora qtiadrinotaia Say, or the Four-spotted Spittle Insect, is also com- 

 mon and is often found upon grape vines. They are usually taken in the adult 

 stage during the months of July and August. 



Aphrophora parallela Say, or the Parallel Spittle Insect is found quite 

 commonly on pine trees. In reality we should designate it the Pine Froghopper 

 as this tree is its home. There is lives in company with A. saratogensis Fh. It 

 -{loes not show the same degree of variation as does P. leucopthalmus, but it varies 

 from dark to light forms. 



Lepyronia qvadrangulark Say, or the Angulated Froghopper is more angular 

 in form than the others and is fairly common. It is said to feed upon grasses, 

 -weeds and the blackberry. Little variation is seen in it. 



The Genus Clastoptera has two species and they are variable. 



