THE TREE-HOPPERS. 223 



I presume that, as soon as they are hatched, they make their 

 way to the ground, and remain under the surface of the soil, 

 sucking the sap from the roots of plants, until they are about 

 to enter upon their last period of existence, when they crawl 

 up the trunks of the trees, throw off their coats, and appear 

 in the perfect or winged state. From the great numbers 

 of these tree-hoppers which exist in certain seasons, the 

 locust-trees undoubtedly suffer much, not only in conse- 

 quence of the quantity of sap abstracted from their branches, 

 but from the numerous punctures made by the insects in 

 obtaining it and in laying their eggs. 



The oak-tree is attacked by another species, the white- 

 lined tree-hopper {M. univittata), which may be found upon 

 it during the month of July. It is about four tenths of an 

 inch in length ; the thorax is brown, has a short obtuse horn 

 extending obliquely upwards from its fore part, and there is a 

 white line on the back, extending from the top of the horn 

 to the hinder extremity. 



The common creeper (Ampelopsis quinquefotta) is inhabit- 

 ed by a tree-hopper, which has an oblong square and thin 

 elevation or crest on the middle of the thorax. Its body is 

 usually of a reddish ash-color, and the thorax is ornamented 

 with three reddish-brown bands, one of which is above the 

 head and extends transversely between the lateral projecting 

 angles of the thorax, the second is a short and oblique line 

 on each side of the front part of the crest, and the third is 

 also oblique, and begins on the outer edge of the thorax, and 

 passes obliquely forwards on each side 

 to the top of the hind part of the crest. 

 This species may be called Membracis 

 Ampelopsidis * (Figs. 90 and 91), from 

 the plant on which it is found in the 

 perfect state. The young appear to live 

 in the earth till they are fully grown and have acquired the 

 rudiments of wing-covers and wings, or have become pupse, 



* It is the Membracis Cissl of my Catalogue. 



