F'ROCEEDINOS 



OF THE 



CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 



Fourth Series 



Vol. X, No. 9, pp. 71-75, 1 text figure. December 29, 1920 



A NEW GENUS AND SPECIES OF GRASSHOPPER 

 FROM CALIFORNIA 



BY 



Morgan Hebard 



In the spring of 1917 (April 22-27), Mr. E. P. Van Duzee, 

 curator of Entomology, Museum California Academy of 

 Sciences, collected at Bryson in Monterey County, California. 

 Among the material taken was a single specimen of grasshop- 

 per, which seemed to represent an undescribed genus and 

 species. 



Upon being informed of this fact, Mr. Van Duzee again 

 visited Bryson, May 16-23, 1920, in order to obtain, if possible, 

 additional material of the species. After considerable effort he 

 was able to locate the habitat, and secured three additional 

 specimens, all females. 



Esselenia,^ new genus 



The present genus shows a combination of characters which 

 makes it most difificult to place. The form of the insect is more 

 robust than that of any other North American Acridid ; in fact, 

 it is of a type C|uite similar to that usual in the Ommexechinse. 



The head is as full, with face as perpendicular, as in Stira- 

 pleura, the pronotum showing a generally similar construction 

 of the lateral carinae. The lateral foveolfe of the vertex are, 

 however, not visible from above, in this feature agreeing with 

 Mesochloa and Phliho stroma, the vertex itself being as broad 

 as in the latter genus and intermediate between them in show- 

 ing a subobsolete medio-longitudinal carinula. The antennse 



^ The small Esselenian tribe of Indians once inhabited the region from which this 

 genus is known. 



