THE CANA1JLA.N ENTOMOLOGIST. 167 



James Ridings in 1864 (Proc. Ent. Soc. Phil. 4, 201). The female is 

 larger than the male and much more inscribed on under side. This species 

 does not seem to be seasonably dimorphic, as are Camilkis and Tharos, 

 but the early and- late examples are of the same pattern of marking. 



ON THE COURTSHIP OF THE SEXES IN (EDIPODA 



CAROLINA. 



BY C. H. T. TOWNSEND, CONSTANTINE, MICH. 



For several seasons past, along in the latter part of summer (August 

 and September) I have noticed certain peculiar actions on the part of the 

 large flying locust, CEdipoda Carolina Linn. I have always suspected that 

 these actions have something to do with the union of the sexes. In the 

 warm parts of the days at this time of the year individuals of this species 

 may frequently be seen rising from the ground, and, hovering several feet 

 in the air, rapidly vibrating their wings and making a peculiar flapping or 

 beating sound, the while keeping nearly the same relative position in 

 space. Although my notes on this subject are rather imperfect, I think 

 they may be of use. I can not find that the subject has ever been touched 

 upon before; such may be the case, but I have not been able to discover 

 record of it in any reports, periodicals or works on insects. Still these 

 actions must have been noticed by observers, as they are of common 

 occurrence. 



On the 14th of August last, in the afternoon, I saw one of this species 

 fly up from the dry parched grass, and remain nearly stationary about two 

 feet in the air for some time, by means of a rapid beating of the wings. 

 Presently it flew back to the ground. In a few minutes another one, which 

 had witnessed the performance at a short distance, flew quickly over and 

 alighted by the side of the performer. They ra,n by each other several 

 times, occasionally touching each other, but did not make any further 

 manifestations, and finally the last one flew away, leaving the other motion- 

 less in the withered grass. Though it is probable that the females are 

 attracted by these performances of the males, and that the males vie with 

 each other in their exhibitions, still I think that the two just spoken of 

 were both males and were disposed to fight from a feeling of rivalry, the 

 one that flew off having h^^n beaten. On the 24th of the month I noticed 



