82 Psyche [April 



connection with Megarhinus superbus. At present there is a 

 composite flowering called 'Christmas bush'; it attracts lots of 

 insects of all orders and is very common near roads all over the 

 island. What was my joy to see four M. superbus (2d^, 29) 

 hard at work sucking its flowers! This particular plant was 

 in the shade and it would appear as if these mosquitoes, although 

 day flying, keep in the shade, I have repeatedly seen this species 

 about during the day, but this is the first time that I actually 

 found them feeding." In the second letter Prof. Urich informed 

 me that the "Christmas bush" is the composite Eupatorium 

 odoratuTTi and added the following observation: "I re- visited 

 the locality where I saw the M. superbus feeding and I was fortunate 

 in again seeing and capturing, not only M. superbus (2 9, 1 cf ) but 

 also M. trinidadensis (Icf ). Time of feeding 10 a. m.; sun shining 

 on flowers. Flowers growing on sides of road through cacao 

 estate where there were many Bromelise on the shade trees." 



From Africa we have the following observations, made by 

 Dr. Graham in Ashanti and recorded in the last volume of Theo- 

 bald's Monograph.^ A female of Megarhinus phytophygus was 

 "taken by Dr. Graham upon the flowers of a climbing plant." 

 Of Megarhinus marshallii we read that it was found "on an 

 umbelliferous flower in the bush at 12 noon (cf' s). Dr. Graham says 

 'Specimens were taken upon several occasions upon the flower 

 of a climbing plant.' " 



STRIDULATION OF THE SHIELD-BACKED GRASS- 

 HOPPERS OF THE GENERA NEDUBA AND 

 AGLAO THORAX. 



By C. Pemberton. 



Stanford University, California. 



In many species of Decticinse, the wings are so atrophied as 

 to be almost completely gone, and the elytra are so reduced as 

 to be almost wholly covered by the characteristic shield-like 

 posterior extension of the pronotum. In some of these species 

 the elytra of the males bear very highly developed organs for 

 the production of sound. 



* Vol. 5, p. 103, 105 (1910). 



