THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST, 29 



that it is doubtful if it really belongs to the U. S. fauna. Mr. S. H. 

 Scudder has, however, since recorded it from Florida, and in a personal 

 letter says that it has also been taken in North Carolina, but not farther 

 north. 



Its occurrence in numbers as far north as Central Indiana is therefore 

 worthy of record, and can only be accounted for by the presence of the 

 broad and sheltering valley of the Wabash, within the confines of which 

 it finds a climate and vegetation congenial to its taste. 



If its habits be the same elsewhere as in Indiana, the name " grass- 

 hopper " is for it a misnomer, for here it is never seen on the grass or 

 ground, and never hops when disturbed, but moves with a quick and 

 noiseless flight for twenty or more feet, to a stem of sedge or rush, on 

 which it alights. The instant it grasps the stem it dodges quickly around 

 to the side opposite the intruder. Then, holdmg the stem firmly with its 

 short front and middle legs, it draws its slender hind femora close up 

 against the body, and folding the tibiae into position, hugs its support as 

 closely as possible, and remains perfectly motionless. Its body is almost 

 cylindrical, and being of the same general colour as the stalk of the plant 

 on which it rests, it is almost impossible to detect it, unless one sees 

 exactly where it alights. Eight times out of ten a person by approaching 

 quietly can reach his hand about the plant stem and grasp the insect. 

 Its habits excellently illustrate the so-called ''protective mimicry" of 

 form and colouring, as it always seems to choose a cylindrical object, 

 and one similar to its own colour before alighting. 



As the description given by Thomas, loc. cit., is the only one in 



American works of reference, and, moreover, is a very short and poor 



one, I append the following drawn from fresh specimens, and hope that 



collectors throughout the Northern States will be on the lookout for this 



interesting and peculiar species : — 



Body very slender, sub-cylindrical. Antennae short, somewhat ensiform. Vertex 

 extending far forward in the form of an equilateral triangle, slightly sulcate on its 

 anterior half. Face very oblique, median carina weak, narrowly sulcate for its entire 

 length ; lateral carina; slight and straight. Pronotuni almost cylindrical, slightly diver- 

 gent on posterior half; median carina present, distinct only on posterior lobe; lateral 

 carinre obsolete. Prosternal spine short and rounded. Face, vertex, occiput, and 

 disk and sides of pronotum densely punctured. Tegmina exceeding the abdomen by 3 to 5 

 mm. Wings equal to tegmina in male, slightly shorter in female. Posterior femora 

 very slender, not reaching tip of abdomen. Anal cerci of male slender, tapering, and 

 bent abruptly upward and forward near the base. Sub anal plate narrow, upturned and 

 tapering to a point. 



The ground colour is a fawn, unbroken except by a narrow, yellowish stripe, ex- 

 tending from the hind border of eye, along the lower edge of pronotum to coxa of hind 



