208 OETHOPTEEA. 



PROSPHENA, Bolivar. 

 Prosphena, Bolivar, An. Soc. Esp. Hist. Nat. xiii. p. 447 (1884). 



The only known representative of this genus, so far as at present known, is confined 

 to Central America, where it is apparently rare. 



l. Prosphena scudderi, Boliv. 



Prosphena scudderi, Boliv. Monogr. Pirgomorfmos, p. 100 (1884) * ; Rehn, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. 

 Philad. 1905, p. 404 2 . 



Hab. Guatemala (coll. Scudder J ; Rev. Theo. Heyde & B. Shimefc, in coll. L. Bruner) ; 

 Costa Rica, Tarbaca (Underwood 2 ). 



The discovery of this insect in Costa Rica greatly extends its distribution. 



Subfam. ACRimmm*. 



The present is by far the most extensive subfamily of locusts belonging to the 

 Mexican and Central-American fauna. It likewise seems to be the most difficult one 

 to handle from the standpoint of the systematist. The various forms differ widely one 

 from another in size, modifications of structure, and habits. Some of them frequent 

 grassy hill-slopes, glades, meadows, weed-patches, thorny thickets, &c. ; a few live 

 among aquatic plants at the margins of ponds and streams or in swamps, while others 

 are at home only among the dead and decaying leaves in the gloomy forests. Several 

 species live among the verdure of the tall trees high above the ground, and seldom 

 visit terra firma* even for oviposition. 



While the majority of known forms are fully winged and often capable of prolonged 

 flight, a large percentage are entirely without these organs or possess them in a very 

 rudimentary state of development. In their general appearance many of these locusts 

 are very similar, but may readily be separated one from the other by certain permanent 

 modifications of structure, size, and colour. For the purposes of identification we must 

 consider structure of sexual appendages, pronotal characteristics, robustness of femora, 

 comparative number of tibial spines, length of hind tarsal joints, structure and width of 

 vertex, size and form of eyes, length and form of antennae, form and size of prosternal 



* Principal works referred to for this subfamily are : — 



Stal, C, Recensio Orthopterorum, No. 1, 1873, pp. 26-87. 



Stal, C, Systema Acridiodeorum, 1878, pp. 100. 



Stal, C, Observations Orthopterologiqnes, No. 3, 1878, pp. 20. 



Thomas, C, Synopsis of the Acrididse of N. America, 1873. 



"Walker, Francis, Catalogue of tbe Dermaptera Saltatoria in the British Museum, 1871-1873. 



Brtjnner v. Wattenwyl, C, Revision du Systeme des Orthopteres, 1893. 



Sctjddek, S. H., Revision of the Melanopli, 1897. 



Gtiglio-Tos, E., Viaggio del Dr. Enrico Fiesta nella Reppublica dell' Ecuador : Ortotteri, 1898. 



