1866.1 9 
AN ESSAY TOWARDS A KNOWLEDGE OF BRITISH HOMOPTERA. 
BY THE UEV. T. A. MARSHALL, M.A. 
(^Continued from page 268 of vol. 2.) 
Subg. — Athisanus, Burm. 
Two only of the species referred by authors to this section have 
fallen in my way, but it is probable that several more will be found to 
exist in Great Britain, a considerable number being described by Flor 
and Kirschbaum. That the method of making divisions of intermediate 
value between genus and species is a bad one, few entomologists will be 
likely to dispute. It is not, however, so much the object of these 
sketches to deal with genera and reform systems, as to apply the existing 
materials, sucb as they are, to tbe recognition of our species. The 
sections of Burmeister are therefore introduced in this place, although 
they can only be regarded as a provisional and occasionally useful 
device for ascertaining the names of insects. The single character of 
distinction in tbe group Athysmius consists in the assumed absence of 
the membranaceous prolongation of the hemelytra. It is true that in 
some species this appendage is nearly obliterated, but in others it ia 
plainly to be seen, altbougb small ; while some of the genuine lassi are 
equally defective in this respect. The Athysani, in fact, would be as 
well merged in one or other of the co-sections, according to the form of 
their vertex and general habit. 
14. — lassus (^A.) argejitatus, Pab. 
Pallide fusco-testaceus. Vertex late rotundatus, angustus, medio 
non productus ; linea inter oculos incurva nigra, cui ssepe additur alia 
posterior brunnea. Frons nigro-cancellata. Clypeus et lora nigro 
tenuiter limbata. Pronotum antice linea transversa, medio obtusangula, 
impressum ; post banc lineam transverse rugulosum. Abdomen nigrum, 
segmentorum margines et latera ( $ etiam segmenta tria ultima 
maximam partem) testacea. Hemelytra (J abdomen celantia ; cellulge 
fusco-marginatse ; membrana brunnea : — $ abdomine conico, acuminato, 
breviora, cellulis vix fusco-marginatis ; membrana concolor. Pedes 
pallidi, coxse et femora plus minus nigro-maeulata ; tibiae posticse intus 
nigro-lineatsB. Long. ^J 2, ? 3i ; alar exp. ^J 4, ? 5 lin. 
Cicada argentata, Fab., Ent. Syst. 4, p. 38 :— S. E. p. 77, 72. 
lassus argentatus, Burm., Gen. fig. 2, — Boh., Ofv. 1845, p. 156 : 
Handl. 1845, p. 28. 
lassus interstitialis, Germ., Mag. 4, p. 90. 
