LAWSON: KANSAS CICADELLID^E. 47 



ant and common of our genera. Although this has been done 

 for a goodly number of species, yet the real value of such work 

 will not appear till a whole genus is worked, and then its 

 worth will be readily seen. Accordingly what is here done is 

 only to prepare the way for such work, to show that there are 

 possibilities with the leaf hoppers on this line, to get ac- 

 quainted with the structures, and gain experience in the neces- 

 sary technique. 



The technique employed is as follows : The specimens to be 

 examined are first soaked in a ten per cent solution of caustic 

 potash. The time they are left in the solution depends alto- 

 gether on the size and color of the specimen. Light and deli- 

 cate species are left for only two or three hours. Large and 

 dark forms may require several days before they are clear. 

 Care should be taken however not to leave small species in too 

 long as they become too light. If plenty of material is at hand 

 the whole specimen may be dropped into the fluid, otherwise^ 

 only the abdomen or the tip of the abdomen need be used, thus 

 retaining much of the value of the desirable specimen. For 

 this soaking the specimens may be kept in small vials, each 

 bearing a number, so that accurate records may be kept and 

 the mixing of the species avoided. In this way the same vial 

 of caustic potash can be used over and over again till the fluid 

 becomes too dirty. 



When thoroughly cleared up by the caustic potash, the speci- 

 mens are removed into a watch crystal of distilled water. A 

 watch crystal with the middle of its convex surface flattened 

 is the best. This enables one to rest it without fear of tipping 

 on the glass stage of a binocular. The particular binocular 

 used was a Bausch & Lomb machine with a 32 mm. objective 

 and 8x oculars. The watch crystal and stage both being glass 

 excellent illumination can be obtained by using a spotlight on 

 the mirror of the binocular. Minuten Nadeln are the most 

 satisfactory dissecting needles for such work, ordinary dissect- 

 ing needles being altogether too big for work with the smaller 

 forms, particularly the Typhlocybini. 



It was found best to first draw all the organs in situ from a 

 lateral view. As accurate a drawing as possible was made in 

 this way and any parts not clearly seen were later cleared up 

 when the pygof ers were torn open and the organs fully exposed 

 to view. Then the styles may be torn loose from the plates 



