British and Oriental Cicadidæ

Abstract

THE insects forming the family of the Cicadidæ of Westwood are among the largest of the Homoptera, and by far the largest number of the known species are to be met with in the warm regions of the world. Some fifty years ago but one species of this family seems to have been recorded from Great Britain—it was found in the New Forest, and figured by Curtis as Cicada anglica. Curtis thought it did not sing, because a specimen kept in confinement by Mr. Dale for two or three days was mute. Kirby and Spence, however, were informed that it was very noisy,and,adds Prof. Westwood, “analogy would lead to the belief that it does sing, the drums of C. orni not being comparatively larger.” Weaver found the pupa-case of this insect attached by the legs to the stem of a fern.

Monograph of the British Cicadæ, or Tettigidæ.

By G. B. Buckton Illustrated by more than Four Hundred Coloured Drawings. (London: Macmillan and Co., 1890.)

A Monograph of Oriental Cicadidæ.

By W. L. Distant. (Calcutta: Indian Museum. London: H. S. King and Co. 1890.)