Vol. XXVli] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 247 



pre-empted termination "-oidea") in connection with the name 

 of a well known or typical family merely as a convenient ex- 

 pedient to designate the different groups shown in the diagram. 

 With the exception of the Grylloids and Tettigonoids (which 

 form the Orthoptera, in the restricted sense), I would regard 

 all of these groups as of the rank of an order, and have there- 

 fore referred to them in the text, by terms ending in "-ptera" 

 (e. g. Dermaptera, Plecoptera, etc.) in accordance with gen- 

 eral entomological usage. 



As is shown in the diagram, the Phyllioid forms, or Phyl- 

 liidae, are closely related to the Phasmoid group, or Phasmidae, 

 yet occupy a position somewhat intermediate between the 

 Phasmidae and the true Locustidae which are usually incor- 

 rectly called "Acrididae." Although the Phyllidae are closely 

 related to the Phasmidae, they are as distinct from them as 

 the Neuroptera are from the Mecoptera, and should therefore 

 be classed in a distinct order, the Phyllioptera, as was men- 

 tioned in a previous publication (Entomological News, Vol. 

 26, p. 347). It may be remarked, however, that the distinc- 

 tive characters there given, apply chiefly to the females, since 

 the males of the Phylliidae (e. g. those of Phyllinni scythe) 

 have long antennae, and well developed hind wings. 



The true Locustidae (usually termed "Acrididae") occupy 

 a position intermediate between the Phylliid-Phasmid group, 

 and the Gryllid-Tettigonid group, as indicated in the diagram. 

 Phasmoid forms, such as Thncma, have retained many char- 

 acters suggestive of the ancestral condition of the Locustid 

 group, thus suggesting that the Locustid line of development 

 may lead toward the Phasmid line of descent, while that of the 

 Gryllid-Tettigonid group, although closely paralleling the Lo- 

 custid line of development, may lead toward the Grylloblattid 

 line of development; but this point may be better taken up 

 under the discussion of the relationships of the Gryllidae and 

 Tettigonidae. The reasons for considering the Locnstoid 

 forms as representing a distinct order, the Diphtheroptera, 

 have already been given (Ent. News, Vol. 26, p. 348) and 

 need not be further considered here. 



