224 
The Ohio Naturalist. 
[Vol. II, No. 5. 
REMARKS ON THE STUDY OF LEAF-HOPPERS. 
Herbert Osborn. 
Although the Leaf-hoppers (Jassidae) are among the most 
abundant of our insects and present many problems of scientific 
and economic importance, they have received very meagre atten- 
tion from American students. But very few localities in the 
United States have been collected with sufficient care to determine 
what the native species may be, and while we know that many 
of the species have a wide distribution, the limits of most are but 
very vaguely determined. 
The object of this note is to call attention to the group ; to 
show how easily the species may be collected and preserved and 
give some hints as to the means of identification. 
In general the insects of the group are of small size, scarcely 
any exceeding half an inch in length and many are extremely 
minute. As a result they are very inconspicuous and readily 
escape notice except when specially sought for. They frequent 
all kinds of vegetation, though in the majority of cases each 
species has its particular kind of food plant and generally whole 
genera will be limited to some particular group of plants, certain 
ones affecting grasses, others willows, others grape, thorn, etc. 
The methods of collecting must be adapted to the plants on 
which the}’ occur, those living on trees being caught with an 
umbrella which is held inverted under branches, which are jarred 
by striking with a stick, or by use of a beating net of strong mus- 
lin. The beating net may also be used for brushing over shrubs 
and rough herbage, but the most generally useful net for these 
insects is a sweeping net made of cheese cloth. If caught in the 
umbrella the cyanide bottle must be in readiness to at once capture 
those that may be detected, as some of the species take flight very 
quickly. Others are more sluggish and may be picked up more 
at leisure. The sweep net after being brushed over the tops of 
the plants a few times is examined with the cyanide bottle held 
in readiness in one hand, the mouth closed with the thumb, the 
hoppers being taken in by slipping the bottle over them as they 
crawl up the sides of the net or jump from one side to the other. 
A little practice will enable one to judge of their movements, 
which vary somewhat with different species, so as to hold the net 
in the best shape to prevent loss of desired specimens. One soon 
learns to recognize different forms so as to capture only so many 
as are wanted of each kind. Many of the species, however, look 
very much alike to the uninitiated and it is not safe to rely on 
general appearance till characters are known. 
It is better to have two or three small cyanide bottles while 
collecting (tubes with a mouth just large enough to be covered 
