246 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



CYPHODERRIS MONSTROSA. 



EY LOUIS W. TURLEY, UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO. 



Some time ago, I read a very interesting article, by Dr. S. H. 

 Scudder, in the Canadian Entomologist, on Cyphoderris monstrosa. 

 The rarity of the insect, as set forth by Dr. Scudder's article, has led me 

 to write the observations, of myself and others in this section, on an 

 Orthopteran identified by Professor Aldrich and Professor Bruner as the 

 above-named insect. 



In June of 1S99, while walking through a pasture near Moscow, at 

 dusk one evening, I heard a great many short, intermittent chirps, similar 

 to the song of Oecanthus fasciatus; but more subdued and ventriloquial, 

 and with longer pauses between the measures. I supposed them to be 

 the songs of crickets, but never before having heard songs like them, I 

 decided to make an acquaintance with their authors. 



Carefully I followed first one and then another to its seeming source, 

 when, will-o'-the-wisp like, it would be somewhere else. I began to think 

 that perhaps they were birds, and that when I came too near they would 

 run elsewhere, for, once having ceased, no more sound came from that 

 spot, even though I moved away and remained quiet for some time. 

 But at last I traced one which continued to sing, although I was but a 

 foot or two from it. I looked cautiously and carefully about, but noticed 

 only what appeared to be the empty capsule of a fleur-de-lis of last year. 

 The song continued. I listened. Yes, that was the place. There was 

 no mistake. It was only a foot or so from my ear. Seized by a burning 

 curiosity to know this spirit songster, I quickly struck a match. At the 

 appearance of the light, the supposed capsule began slowly to move down 

 the dry stem. I could not make out just what it was. It did not appear 

 like a cricket ; besides, a cricket would have hopped instead of slowly 

 crawling. But what else sang that way but an Orthopteran ? However, 

 there was no time to lose, he was almost to the grass. I had nothing to 

 put him in, but could not afford to allow him to escape, so grasped him. 



He took his capture as a matter of course, making no struggle to free 

 himself. Elated by my success, I decided to push my conquest farther, 

 and, after waiting and listening for about half an hour, I captured 

 another. They lay perfectly still in my hand. I took them to my room, 

 put them in a tumbler and lighted a lamp. They did not seem to like 



