On Two undescribed Cicadas from the Transvaal. 81 



exactly reversed in Helix portosantana. The apical whorls 

 are devoid of all pitting or punctation, while the under sur- 

 face is punctated all over, similar punctation being present 

 also on the upperside of the later whorls, though not there 

 so conspicuously developed as on the lower surface. In other 

 words, Helix Lowei has large pittings or punctures at the 

 apex, and nowhere else. Helix portosantana has no pittings 

 or punctations on the apical whorls, but has them on the later 

 whorls. This description relates to adult shells. 



XI. — On Two undescribed Cicadas from the Transvaal. 

 By W. L. Distant. 



Platypleura sylvia, sp. n. 



Body pilose. Head and pronotum ochraceous ; head with 

 the face and front castaneous, the carina? black, on face en- 

 closing two ochraceous spots ; a broad black fascia between 

 the eyes, ocelli castaneous; pronotum with the lateral angles 

 pale ochraceous, inwardly infuscated. Mesonotum castaneous, 

 with four large black obconical spots on anterior margin, the 

 outermost longest and curved ; a black central lanceolate spot 

 and a spot on each anterior branch of the cruciform elevation ; 

 lateral basal margin ochraceous. Abdomen above black, 

 posterior segmental margins castaneous. Body beneath and 

 legs ochraceous ; coxae and trochanters spotted with black. 



Tegmina semiopaque and talc-like, slightly mottled with 

 fuscous, venation castaneous, whole costal area ochraceous ; 

 wings pale hyaline, venation castaneous, about basal half 

 semiopaque pale ochraceous where the venation is con- 

 colorous. 



Opercula short, broad, considerably overlapping inwardly • 

 rostrum not extending beyond posterior coxa?, its apex black ; 

 face with an acute central sulcation ; pronotal lateral angles 

 broadly ampliated and subacutely angulated. 



$ ? . Long. 32-33 millim. ; exp. tegm. 90 millim. 

 Hab. Transvaal: Pretoria District (Pret. Mas.), Middel- 

 burg (Kwssner), Zoutpansberg (Kcessner), Lydenburg District 

 (Pret. Mus. and Coll. Dist.). 



This species is allied to P. semiclara. Germ., from which 

 it differs by the much larger and more robust body, the more 

 angulated pronotal margins, different colour and markings 

 and especially in the smaller ochraceous area of the wings. 



P. sylvia seems, according to present knowledge, to be 

 Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Ser. 7. Vol. iii. 6 



