38 RHYNCOTA. 



cases, are represented in England by a number of small 

 individuals of a dingy and unattractive appearance. 

 They may be known by the position of the antennae 

 which are placed under the eyes. Fig, 6 is an enlarged 

 drawing of tlie prettiest of all the Homopterous insects, 

 the Scarlet and Black Hopper {Cercopis sanquinolenta) ; 

 it is local and cannot be said to be very common any- 

 where. I find specimens occasionally in this neighbour- 

 hood sitting generally on fern leaves ; it is a good 

 hopper, but seldom flies. The Cuckoo-spit Hopper 

 {Aphroplwra spumaria) the larva and pupae of which 

 envelope themselves in a frothy secretion, is one of the 

 same family, the Cercopidoe. Fig. 2 is a representation 

 of another Frog-fly very much enlarged — the natural 

 size being about 2 lines long — it is the Eupteryx picta, 

 Fabr., and may be found sometimes in great abundance 

 on potato leaves. It is allied to the common Frog- 

 hopper, but the larva does not secrete froth. 



The section Dimera contains three families ; I have 

 only space to notice the Aphidae or Planfc-lice, an exces- 

 sively injurious family of Homopterous insects, which 

 may be regarded in respect of the vegetable world as 

 analogous to the animal parasites, the Anoplura, already 

 noticed. Every agriculturist, every rose cultivator, 

 every hop grower has too great reason to be well ac- 

 quainted with these destructive pests. The species are 

 extremely numerous, almost every plant having its own 

 peculiar parasite ; they attack the leaves, stems, shoots, 

 and even the roots of plants, piercing with their sharp 

 proboscis the cuticles and sucking the juices. They 

 have many enemies, amongst which may be mentioned 

 the Lady-bird Beetles, which both in the larval and 



