191-1.] NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 463 



species arc nnich less frequent, though such forms as Conocephalus 

 iyristes and caudelliamis and Orchelimum spinulosum are not un- 

 common. Pscudopomala hrachyptera and Chlcealtis conspersa are 

 both very exceptional and, when found, are usually in close proximity 

 to Iva oraria thickets. Mermiria vigilans has been taken regularly 

 only in the vicinity of Cape May City and rarely in other localities 

 in Cape ]\Iay County, but not, so far as I am aware, outside of that 

 county. Conocephalus fiiscostriatKS was taken once by Mr. Henry 

 Fowler near Cape May Point. Xiphidium spartinoe is not infrequent 

 in the Spartina patens areas, but is to be regarded as a stray from 

 the true Maritime faunule rather than as a regular member of the 

 present faunule. 



The Maritime faunule occurs in the true salt marshes. The soil 

 in these marshes is a soft, gelatinous muck or ooze containing a 

 relatively high amount of salt. In spite of its softness, the greater 

 part of the salt marsh is quite firm, owing to the thick covering of 

 coarse grasses, the interlacing roots of which bind the soft material 

 into a tough sod. The vegetation of the salt marsh consists of an 

 almost pure growth of the characteristic salt marsh-grass, Spartina 

 strica { = glabra). Of this there are two varieties easily recognizable 

 in the New Jersey salt marshes. The more common variety is a 

 short form that covers the flat areas away from and between the 

 waterways; the other a much taller variety that forms reed-like 

 growths along the tidal creeks and ditches which traverse the marshes 

 in every direction. Wet sandy areas not occupied by the grass are 

 frequently characterized by an open growth of salt-worts, Salicornia 

 europcea, higlovii and amhigua. The only other plant that is at all 

 conspicuous in the salt marsh is the sea-lavencler, Limonium caroli- 

 num, which is of frequent occurrence throughout the flats covered 

 with the short variety of Spartina. 



The Orthoptera of the salt marsh form a very distinct faunule. 

 In the short variety of Spartina occur large numbers of Orphulella 

 olivacea and Xiphidium spartime, while the tall variety along the 

 waterways is characterized by Orchelimum fidicinium and Xiphidium 

 nigropleuroides, both of which occur there in abundance, especially 

 the former. In addition to these, both varieties of the grass harbor 

 moderate numbers of Conocephalus Iyristes. 



The Maritime or true salt-marsh faunule thus contains the fol- 

 lowing grasshoppers : 



Orphulella olivacea Xiphidium sparlinos 



Conocephalus Iyristes " nigropleusroide 



Orchelimum fidicinium 



