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 quinquefolia) 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 pup®, 
* It is the Membracis Cissi of my Catalogue. 
Fig. 90. Fig. 91. 
