SPHENARIUM. 207 



The insect here taken to be S. purpurascens of Charpentier is confined to the more 

 elevated tablelands in the vicinity of Mexico City. It is an exceedingly common and 

 variable locust as represented in the present writer's collection. Charpentier's types 

 were evidently discoloured by immersion in alcohol, and his figures do not give the 

 natural colours of the insect. The prevailing colour of the specimens at hand ranges 

 from olive-green to brownish-piceous varied with yellow in the male, and grass-green 

 to dull wood -brown in the female. 



Rehn refers certain specimens which he has studied to this species (Trans. Amer. 

 Ent. Soc. xxviii. p. 227, and xxix. pp. 11, 12). Judging from their habitat, only part 

 of them could be referable to S. purpurascens, while the others, for the most part, 

 evidently belong to S. mexicanum, Sauss. The same might be said of S. borrei \ Rehn 

 (loc. cit. xxvii. p. 227). 



10. Sphenarium planum, sp. n. 



Below the medium in size, green or greenish, with fuscous or black mesonotum, which is nearly ( S ) or 

 quite ( 2 ) hidden by the rather ample pronotum. The latter evenly rounded, without lateral carina 

 or angles, strongly expanding and more than usually undulate or sinuous behind ; the surface rugose ; 

 the median carina distinct but faint ; the lower lateral edges in male narrowly pale-bordered. Head 

 rather stout, the vertex broad ; the f astigium short, in the male obtuse, in the female angulate. Tegmina 

 somewhat expanding apically ; in the female green, in the male ferruginous. Hind femora moderately 

 robust. 



Length of body, <S 17, $ 22 ; of pronotum, <5 3-85, $ 5 ; of hind femora, S 10, $ (?) ; of antennae, c? $ , 

 6 millim. 



Hab. Mexico, Tehuantepec (coll. L. Bruner : 6 $ ). 



Two specimens. This insect seems to be related to S. purpurascens, but differs 

 materially from that species in its more rotund form and in the absence of all traces 

 of lateral carinse on the pronotum. The female lacks the hind legs. 



11. Sphenarium minimum, sp. n. 



This insect is characterized by its small size, uniform green colour, and in the presence of fairly well-defined 

 lateral pronotal carinas. The body is sparsely hirsute and the legs are rather strongly so. The face 

 viewed laterally is straight. 



Length of body, cT , 14 ; of pronotum 3'5, of hind femora 9, of antennas 75 millim. 



Hab. Mexico, Jalapa, Vera Cruz (0. W. Barrett, in coll. L. Bruner: 6 ). 



This diminutive specimen is fully mature. In general appearance it is quite different 

 from both S. purpurascens and 8. planum. Its habitat is likewise so radically different 

 from that of the species named that it is separated from them without hesitation. 



A male and female at hand from Orizaba are closely related to this last-named 

 insect, but owing to the form of the vertex, which is long and has its sides convergent 

 anteriorly, and the face arcuate when viewed laterally, have been temporarily labelled 

 Sphenarium affine. The male is in the collection of the United States National 

 Museum, and the female in that of L. Bruner. 



