NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 7!) 



When alive this is a very pretty insect, stripes of red, black and white al- 

 ternating; when immersed in alcohol the red fades, and the black 

 paler. 



[Miitiei.) 



BRACHYPEPLUS, Charp. 



As Charpentier, at the time he established this genus, failed to give its 

 characters, and the description of Girard is so short and deficient, I give, from 

 a large number of specimens, what I conceive to be the distinguishing' char- 

 acters. 



Gen. Char. Body very robust, acridoid. Occiput broad, convex, smooth 

 vertex margined ; frontal ridge broad, short, slightly sulcate, expanding below . 

 lateral carina? distinct, with a sulcus behind each; antennal foveokc deep 

 oblong; cheeks prominent. Pronotum large, elongate, tricarinate ; carina; 

 distinct, continuous; widest below, expanding posteriorly, sides straight 

 chagrined above, sides glabrous ; no transverse incisions on the dorsum ; 

 anterior margin rounded, extending slightly on the head; posterior margin 

 round. Elytra and wings rudimentary (in the known species). Legs very 

 robust ; posterior femora long as the abdomen, swollen ; tibiae strongly spined 

 nearly the entire length. Antennae filiform, joints distinct ; long as head and 

 thorax. Sub-anal plate of the male tumid ; cerci very short ; female append- 

 ages stout, broad. 



A well marked and distinct genus. 



B. magnus, Girard. 



This ponderous species is easily recognized by fig. 1, pi. xv, Marcy's Expl. 

 Red River La., but the description is quite deficient ; therefore, to aid future 

 investigations, I give it more minutely. 



(Siccus). Yellow, spotted with brown. Occiput very slightly scabrous ; 

 with fine shallow punctures ; elevated margins of the vertex meet in about a 

 right angle at the front ; frontal ridge, although narrow above and gradually 

 expanding as it descends, is not narrowed opposite the antennae, margins dis- 

 tinct obtuse ; sulcus shallow, expanding and fading below, punctured. Pro- 

 notum with three distinct, continuous, piceous carinas; dorsum strongly 

 chagrined, yellowish, with aeneous lustre ; sometimes, especially in the females, 

 there is a yellow line along each margin of the dorsum ; sides purplish at the 

 upper angles, yellowish below. Elytra ovate, reaching the third abdominal 

 segment; nerves longitudinal, slightly branching near the extremity; light 

 brown spotted with black. Wings very small, yellow. Abdomen carinated 

 above ; each segment with a brown spot each side, and margin marked with 

 a row of white dots. 



Legs as described by Girard. 



Dimensions. Length (female) 2 in.; pronotum -55 in. ; elytra -3 in.; femur 

 1-25 in. Males about one fourth less ; size varies considerably. 



Hab. First observed near Arkansas River (going south) iu the vicinity of 

 Canon City. From thence southward to Santa Fe, N. M. 



CEDIPODA, Latr. 

 <E. corallipes, Hald. 



Dimensions. Female. Length J -80 in. ; femur -90 in. ; tibia -75 in. : to tip 

 of elytra 2 in. Male about two-thirds as large as the female. 



Hab. Found at Cheyenne ; along the Divide, and south of Raton Moun- 

 tains. The bright vermillion tint of the posterior legs fades in alcohol I 

 am inclined to believe the (E. pardalina, Sauss, is synonymous with this 

 species. 



(E. Carolina, Linn. 



Found occasionally throughout our route. 



1870.J 



