88 Psyche [June 



This species is related to u-iIlisfo7ii ^Vh. and vietvs sp. nov. but 

 differs much in general color, and in the form of the hj popygium 

 and its appendages. It also differs from viehis in having the an- 

 tennae brown, not yellow as in that species. 



SYSTEAL\TIC PAPERS ON NEW ENGLAND 

 HEMIPTERA.i 



By H. M. Parshley. 



With Plates VI and VII. 



I. Synopsis of the Families. 



The tables to be published under the above title form a part of a 

 general account of the Hemiptera - of New England on which I am 

 engaged, but as an early appearance of the whole is not to be ex- 

 pected, it seems desirable that the more generally useful parts be 

 made immediately available. 



There are to be found in various publications a number of keys 

 to the families of Hemiptera, but for one reason or another they 

 do not enable those who are unfamiliar with the group to place 

 specimens with certainty in their proper families. Some are inac- 

 curate, some incomplete, while those which are free from these 

 faults are very difficult to work because they generally lack figures 

 and employ obscure characters, the latter often necessary in a 

 table which aims at universality or natural arrangement. It 

 seems to me that these difficulties can be avoided by limiting the 

 application of the key to the fauna of a restricted region,^ sacri- 

 ficing natural arrangement in favor of clearness, and illustrating 

 structures of importance. The synopses in this series are offered 

 as an attempt in that direction. 



In preparing the tables I have made free use of the writings of 

 previous authors, but all the work has been done with continual 

 reference to the specimens themseh'es, more particularly of the 

 species occurring in New England, of which I have before me a 

 fairly complete collection. Thus the characters proposed by others 



1 Contributions from the Entomological Laboratory of the Bussey Institution, Hansard 

 University, Xo. 91. 



2 Considered as an order distinct from the Homoptera. 



3 Thus permitting in some cases the use of easily observable characters not common to all 

 members of the family in question. 



