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XV. Descriptions of four ncio sjMcies of Cicadidse. 

 By W. L. Distant. 



[Read October 4th, 1899.] 



Plate XVI. 



The species here described all belong to the genus Platy- 

 pleura, and are from the Ethiopian region. One is from 

 Angola, two from Madagascar, and another from the little- 

 known Peiiiba Island. The genus Platypleura is found in 

 the Ethiopian, Oriental, and extreme eastern portions of 

 the Palsearctic regions, but it is in Madagascar that the 

 genus reaches its maximum in the size, and perhaps in 

 the beauty of its species, one from that island, which is 

 here described and Hgared, being a particularly large and 

 handsome insect. 



Platypleura heathi, sp. n. (Plate XVI, fig. 1.) 



Body pale olivaceous with the following black markings : — Head 

 with the area of the ocelli connected with eyes by a transverse 

 fascia, a curved lateral fascia on each side behind front, a streak from 

 inner margin of eyes to base, and two small discal spots on each 

 side ; pronotum with two small central spots at centre of inner basal 

 margin, tlie incisures, and lateral margins (sublateral anteriorly) ; 

 mesonotum with a posterior discal transverse series of four spots ; 

 abdomen with basal segmental fasciae — broken discally anteriorly, and 

 apical segment and anal appendage ; head beneath, with inner margins 

 of eyes and a curved fascia to face, face with anterior transverse 

 striations and posterior central sulcation, and basal segmental fascisE 

 to abdomen beneath. Abdomen above and body beneath greyishly 

 pilose. Rostrum and legs dull ochraceous. 



Tegmina from base to near the apical areas pale seruginous, thence 

 to apical margin pale bay ; venation brown, and two small brown 

 spots in radial area ; base of lower ulnar area piceous. Wings 

 blackish, on apical area with paler ray-like streaks ; the posterior 

 margin from anal area to apex cretaceous, with a large dark fuscous 

 central spot. 



Head somewhat broad, and with eyes about equal in width to base 

 of mesonotum ; lateral margins of the pronotum convexly rounded ; 



TRANS. ENT. SOC. LOND. 1899. — PART IV. (DEC.) 



