Hudson. — On the Neic Zealand Cicadse. 49 



0^5. In tliis species, as in the Europeau 5o//7oj;/aZa tenella, 

 Wiun., the anterior branch of the third longitudinal vein is 

 wanting. — F. A. A. S. 



EXPLANATION OF PLATE VIII. 

 Fig. 1. New Zealand Glowworm. (Larva of Bolitophila lumiaosa.) 

 Fig. 2. Pupa of same. 

 Fi". 3. Perfect insect. 



Art. IY. — On the Ncic Zealand Cicadte. 

 By G. V. Hudson, F.E.S. 

 [Head before the WeU'uujton Philosophical Societii, 23yd Jiihf, 18i)0.\ 

 Plate IX. 

 Pkobably few groups of insects are so well known and 

 yet so little understood as the Cicada. These creatm-es are 

 generally called " singers," and are familiar to nearly every New 

 Zealand child, but at present entomologists appear to have 

 somewhat neglected them. They are also frequently spoken 

 of as " locusts," which is an extremely misleading name, and 

 should be at once dropped. Professor Westwood has long 

 ago pointed out that the term " locust " should only be ap- 

 plied to that group of the saltatorial Ortlioptera having short 

 erect antennae, of which the migratory locust {Lociista mi- 

 (jratoria) may be fairly taken as a type; but, unfortunately, 

 this excellent definition has not been adhered to. even by 

 professed n'^.turalists. 



The Cicada belong to the order Hemiptera, gi-oup Ho- 

 moptera, and may be easily recognised by the following cha- 

 racters ; — 



The head is short, broad, and transverse, with lai'ge 

 prominent eyes ; the ocelli, thi-ee in number, are placed on 

 the back of the head in a triangle ; the face has a large, 

 nearly circular, swollen, and transversely-striated piece, close 

 to which, at the upper angles, and between the eyes, the 

 antennae are inserted ; these are apparently composed of 

 seven joints, the basal joint being thick and the others 

 slender, and gradually attenuated to the tip. The rostrum, 

 promuscis, or, more strictly speaking, the labium, is greatly 

 elongated and three-jointed ; the basal joint being very 

 short, and the terminal joint very long and slender ; the 

 mandibles and maxilla? are represented by four fine setae 

 passing through the promuscis, and the palpi are entirely 

 wanting. The prothorax is short and transverse, the meso- 

 4 



