■50 Transactions. — Zoologi/. 



■thorax very large, the metathorax scarcely visible above, 

 ■except at the sides ; beneath, these segments are nearly equal. 

 The abdomen is short and somewhat triangular ; the legs are 

 short, the anterior femora thickened and toothed beneath ; 

 the j)osterior tibiaj slightly spined, without termhial spurs. 

 The tarsi are three-jointed. The forewings are large and 

 rather narrow, deflexed at the sides of the body, and of a 

 uniform consistence, with comparatively few and very distinct 

 veins. 



It may perhaps be of some interest to mention here that 

 only a single and very rare species of Cicada (C. anglica, 

 Curt.) is found in the British Islands, but as we go south- 

 wards on the European Continent Cicadcc of various species 

 become common, showing that they are essentially insects of 

 a sunny and warm climate like our own. 



Of the New Zealand species of Cicada at present known to 

 me, two are already described and four are new ; but, as my 

 observations have been practically limited to^ the shores of 

 Cook Strait, it is highly probable that several other sj)ecies 

 will be discovered in the future. I will begin by describing 

 Cicada cingiilata, Fabr., which is the commonest and most 

 conspicuous species, and will then briefly point out the cha- 

 racters by which the others may be recognised. 



Cicada cingulata, Fabr. 



Head and thorax dull-green, with black markings. There 

 are two ill-defined black streaks in the neighbourhood of the 

 ocelli, which last are brilliant crimson, like rubies set in the 

 forehead of the insect. Prothorax with tw^o black stripes in 

 the centre, enclosing a space which appears as a broad central 

 band; depressions black; margin green. Mesothorax with 

 two ceiitral and two lateral conical black markings, the bases 

 of the cones being directed towards the hind margin of the 

 prothorax. Abdomen black, with the margins of the segments 

 dull-red. Fore-legs green, with two black stripes and dots on 

 the femora ; tip of tibia and tarsus black. Middle- and hind- 

 legs pale-green, basal joints of tarsi and tips of tibiae black. 

 Underneath the insect is dull ochreous-brown, with much fine 

 silvery hair, which is also occasionally present on the upper 

 sides of the abdomen. The female differs in being redder in 

 colour on the abdomen, which is also ornamented with tw'O 

 broad black stripes on each side of the last segment. The 

 penultimate segment is entirely free from all markings, and 

 usually paler in colour than the rest. Wings with the basal 

 space green, the costa and primary veins being brown, and the 

 others black. There is a black dot at the anal angle of the 

 hindwing, and two black dots on the costa of the forewing 

 near the tip. 



