TWO-MARKED TREE-HOPPER : TTS EGG-COVERINGS. 285 



lar to the froth of Cicada sjruinaria,* dried. Eacli string is apparently 

 laid separately by the insect from an apparatus near the tip of the abdo- 

 men. It is surely albuminous." 



The above examination shows the material to be similar to that 

 secreted by the CercojndcB (next to the MenibracidcB in a natural order)^ 

 or frog-spittle insects for the shelter of their larval and the pupal 

 forms, wliicli may often be seen on pines, willows, grasses, and various 

 weeds, looking exactly like masses of spittle adhering to the plants. 

 Of these strangely housed insects which may often be met with in the 

 State of New York, are Aphfophora parelMa Say, A. kSaratogensis 

 Fitch, A. quadrangularis Say, Clastoptera Proteus Fitch, and C.-tes- 

 tacea Fitcli.t 



Egg-Coverings Mistaken for Insects. 



The general resemblance of the egg-coverings to some of the Coccus 

 insects has been mentioned {ante, page 283), and it has lately been dis- 

 covered that the mistake was actually made of naming two species of 

 insects from the coverings occurring on two species of plants. 



In the American Naturalist for 1881, at page 574, is this statement 

 from Professor Eiley : *' In hastily looking over the collection of the 

 late Dr. Fitch recently, we were somewhat amused to recognize the 

 white and ribbed waxy material covering the egg-punctures of Bn- 

 cJiopJiyllum Mnotatwii labeled as Dorthesia viburni and D. celastri. 

 This covering does bear a superficial resemblance to the exudations of 

 Dorthesia, though a glance suffices to show that it has no structure 

 connected with it." 



The above statement leaves in doubt the actual labeling of the speci- 

 mens by Dr. Fitch, and all who know the extremely careful and accu- 

 rate habits of observation that characterized the distinguished ento- 

 mologist, would incline to the belief that what seemed a grave blunder, 

 would, if farther examination were made, resolve itself into a mistake 

 of some less scientific person through whose hands the collections had 

 passed. My attention being specially called to the matter, search was 

 made of the writings of Dr. Fitch, outside of his regular reports, where 

 perhaps the descriptions of the " Dorthesiaa " might be found, but 

 they were nowhere to be discovered. Later, however, among tlie col- 

 lections of the N. Y. State Agricultural Society, arranged by Dr. Fitch, 

 evidence was found whicli showed conclusively that the blunder had 



* Cicada spuinariaoi Linnaeus, now known as Philienus spumaria, was originally de- 

 scribed from Northern Europe, but it is now known to inhabit also England, Germany and 

 Switzerland. In this country it is found in one or other of its numerous varieties in Utah, 

 Dakota, Sitka, Lake Winnipeg, and, on the eastern side of the continent, in Nova Scotia, 

 Canada, Maine and New York. (Uhler.) 



+For an interesting account of some of the "spittle-insects," see the American Knto- 

 mologist, i, 18C9, p. 228. 



