90 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [April 



REMARKS ON EMPOASCA (Hemiptera). 

 By C. F. Bakek. 



The following remarks are called forth by Mr. Gillette's 

 treatment of this genus in his late paper on the tribe Typhlo- 

 cyhlni (Proc. Nat. Mus., XX). My statements are based on 

 the examination of a larger amount of American material than 

 has previously been accessible to any one person. First of all 

 I have examined the types of all Mr. Gillette's species. My 

 own collection, the largest of American species in existence, 

 contains most of the species in generous series, all but one 

 being represented (and this, pergandei, of doubtful validity). 



I know that it is easier to pvill down than to build up, and 

 appreciate very fully the difficulties arising in the study of 

 Einpoasca. The attempt is not made herein to finally settle 

 the question. This paper may be considered simply a contri- 

 bution to our knowledge of what constitutes a species in Em- 

 poasca. There is good reason to believe that Mr. Gillette's 

 S3paration of his various ^'species" is highly artificial, and 

 that in many cases his distinctions are based on individual in- 

 stead of on specific characters. 



The species of this genus arrange themselves naturally in 

 two groups : 



I. Those having the vertex very broadly rounded apically, 

 not even sub-angulate, rarely slightly longer at middle than 

 at eyes ; third apical cell of elytra usually sub-linear, its base 

 more nearly foi-angled ; including the larger green, yellow or 

 smoky species of the genus. 



II. Those having a distinctly angulated vertex, though 

 often very obtusely so, and sometimes not longer at middle 

 than at eyes, this being due to the fore margin being paralleled 

 by the anterior pronotal margin ; third apical cell of elytni 

 usually more or less strongly widened apically, its base dis- 

 tinctly ^r^angled ; including the smaller species of the genus, 

 which are often varicolored. 



Mr. Gillette had this same idea when he first planned his 

 ''Analytical Key," to my certain knowledge. But he does 

 not follow it out. Instead, he breaks up the continuity of the 

 first group by introducing nigra, pulchella, spleiulida, albollnea 

 and atrolabes. I have examined the types and many other 



