15 



much shorter, than femora. Arolia present. Middle and hind tarsi 

 never foliaceous (except the head and perhaps the legs.... (3) 



2 Dorsal surface more or less closely granulated, of very 

 varying- form, often foliaceous 3 Membracidae. 



2a Dorsal surface not granulate. General form of the adult, 

 never foliaceous (except the head and ])erhaps the legs.... (3) 



3 Legs not spined or bristly. Antennae with 7 to 9 well 

 marked, subcylindric. segments 4 Cercopidae 



3a Legs nearly always l)ristly. Antennae usually n:arlv as 

 in the adults 2 Tetigoniidae 



The Cicadidae are on the whole the most jjrimitive of the Cica- 

 doidea, despite the specialization of the sonorous orgains in the 

 males. Their undeserved elevation to the front of the Homop- 

 tera is due to the latter circumstance and to their, usually, larger 

 size. Their primitiveness is displayed in their general form, and 

 especially in the structure of the ^ntennae in all stages, approach- 

 ing in this the Heteroptera. The three other families are rather 

 more closely allied among themselves than to the Cicadidae ; in 

 tlic nymphs, the antennae of the Cercopidae approach the condi- 

 tion of the Cicadidae. but are perhaps a little more specialized 

 in the adults than they are in the adult Tetigoniidae. Tn the 

 latter, the legs are almost always more specialized than in the 

 Cercopidae, which, on the whole, mav be accorded the lower 

 rank. The Membracidae are simply specialized Tetigoniidae, by 

 way, probably of forms like Agallia. 



Most authors persist in estimating the Membracidae as a very 

 distinct group. Fowler (1894 Biol. Centr. Amer. Horn., TI, p. 

 1 ) says, for example, "The Membracidae, as a whole, form one 

 of the most distinct and unmistakable groups of all insects." How 

 little this is the case is shown by the fact that today the system- 

 atic position of Ulopa, Acthalion and others is dis])uted, while 

 Fowler himself referred the Eurymeline Gargaropsis (a synonym 

 actually of Byfhoscopiis) to the Membracidae. .\ little, fantas- 

 tic, development of the pronotum and minor changes in the head 

 and legs are almost all that are necessary to change an Oncopsis 

 into a Membracid. The earlier nymphs of such Membracids as 

 Entylia are essentially Tetigoniine in form and structure. 



It may be useful to repeat that these 4 families, Cicadidae, Cer- 

 copidae, Tetigoniidae and ]\Iembracidae are closely elated, and 

 that it is very absurd to separate the first from the other three, 

 a? do most authors, by the Fulgoroidea ; while still more absurd 



