132 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



AN ARBOREAL ORCHELIMUM. 



BY WM. T. DAVIS, NEW BRIGHTON, STATEN IS., N. Y. 



Those who visit the pine-barrens of New Jersey know what a pleasure 

 it is to ramble along the narrow wooded-paths among the pine trees ; old 

 paths that after once being made continue for many years, and may seldom 

 entertain a pedestrian. Along these paths and by the side of the sandy 

 roads, any time during late summer and until frost, one may hear a faint, 

 lisping little song from a grasshopper coming from the pines, often from 

 their topmost branches. It is an easy matter to climb the pitch-pine, 

 which is usually arranged admirably for the purpose, and the grasshopper 

 is also friendly to investigation, and commonly continues to stridulate. 



Two stout insect-nets clapped together suddenly about the centre of 

 the music will ofien disclose the grasshopper in one of them, but not 

 always. He is a tree-loving insect, and being subject to the tossings of 

 the wind, holds on tighter than most grasshoppers that I have had dealings 

 with. It is, in fact, the only arboreal Orchelinmm that I have found in 

 New Jersey. 



When he is captured, it will be discovered that he is a small affair, 

 only 2 2 to 23 mm. long, including the wings, and that he has decided 

 colours ; the green is very green in places, and the brown markings are 

 conspicuous. The brown stripe on the prothorax is particularly dark, 

 and the same colour continues on the wing-covers. The female is usually 

 two or three mm. larger than the male. 



In the Canadian Entomologist for April, 1891, Prof. Laurence 

 Bruner writes of a single female specimen of this species taken in the 

 District of Columbia. He says : "This latter form is also undescribed, 

 and can be known temporarily as Orchelimwn inmo?-, from its rather 

 small size and short wings. In colour it is rather less green than usual, 

 and has the brown markings very decided. Its ovipositor, which 

 resembles that oi gladiator, is also brown instead of green." I have sent 

 Prof. Bruner other specimens, and he has confirmed my identification. 



Sometimes Orchdhniini minor can be observed on the low branches 

 of a pine, especially if the tree stands in the open, and the insect may 

 occasionally be beaten into an umbrella. When the trunks of the pines 

 are " sugared " for moths the little minor also attends, and, like many 

 other members of the genus, it is active and musical both by day and 

 night. 



