122 XINGIDID.^. 



Family TINGIDID.E. 



Hemelytra more or less reticulate, consisting of strong irregular 

 thick lines forming a framework of cells. Anterior legs inserted 

 on the posterior margin of the prosternum. The pronotum 

 usually covers the scutellum, but the converse is not only found in 

 the genus Plesma as stated by some recent writers, but is also a 

 character of the Indian genera Phatnoma and Gonycentrum ; the 

 tarsi are two-jointed ; the antennfe are distinguished by the great 

 length of the third joint, and by the conti'asting shortness of the 

 remaining joints ; the rostrum when at rest is sheltered in a deep 

 rostral canal. 



The species of this very interesting family are, except in Europe, 

 very inadequately known, but they will probably be found in 

 considerable numbers when economic entomology is more gene- 

 rally studied. They are distinctly pests to plant life, but not in a 

 very pronounced or easily discernible manner. 



In the specific and generic diagnoses I have, for the sake of 

 uniformity, followed Stal, as revised by Champion, and have used 

 the following nomenclature for the different areas of the elytra, 

 viz., a " discoidal " or inner area, followed by a " subcostal" or 

 intermediate area, and a " costal " or outer area ; the portion 

 analagous to that iu other families, and, in some genera of 

 Tingididae, represented by a distinct membrane, is named the 

 " sutural area.'* This membranaceous area is sometimes distinctly 

 defined, and iu such cases I use the term " hemelytra " ; when it is 

 not sharply definable, I employ the term " elytra." 



Stfd has divided the Tingididae into two subfamilies, Piesmincp. 

 and Tinr/iiiace ; but as the first has not yet been found to be 

 represented in this fauna, it is unnecessary to adopt these sections, 

 especially as they have already created some confusion. Thus 

 Saunders, in his ' Hemiptera Heteroptera of the British Islands,' 

 correctly for his local purpose, but inadequately for a larger area, 

 has used the covex*ed or uncovered scutellum as a character 

 for the subfamilies. 



Division CANTACADERARIA. 



Cantacaderaria, Stal, En. Hem. iii, p. 116 (1873). 



Head longly produced iu front of the insertion of antennjB, 

 triangular, and above spiiiose ; the bucculffi, or bui-cal laminas, 

 longly produced in front. Scutellum covered or uncovered. 



