HANCOCK 175 



TETTIX NINE DAYS OLD WITH REDDISH FEMORA, PROTEC- 

 TIVELY COLORED LIKE THE SPORE-HEADS OF CERTAIN 

 LICHENS AMONG WHICH THEY LIVE — THREE OUT OF 

 THIRTEEN IN THE SAME BROOD THUS MARKED. 



Three specimens of a brood of Tettix ornatus which are nine days 

 old have the outer one-half of the extremity of the hind femora a distinct 

 red. This color matches exactly the pear-shaped spore-heads which grow 

 upon the thread stalks from one-half to one inch high, among the common 

 moss Polyirichutii, and among which Tettigids frequently oviposit. These 

 little specimens with reddish femora had not yet undergone the first 

 ecdysis, and several more of the same brood were grayish. They are a 

 little over two millimeters in length. 



FIRST ECDYSIS OF TETTIX ORNATUS, TENTH AND ELEV- 

 ENTH DAY AFTER BIRTH. 



Looking in the vivarium, I saw one specimen almost white; the secret 

 was revealed later when [ found an empty skin that had been shed. Still 

 later I found three more specimens molting. This establishes the time of 

 the first ecdysis at the tenth or eleventh day after birth. June lo, 1898. 



TETTIGIDS FLAY IN THE SUNSHINE, TRYING THE WINGS- 

 RAINBOW IRIDESCENCE REFLECTED FROM THE TRANS- 

 PARENT WINGS. 



Tettix ornatus while standing quietly on the ground in the sunshine 

 loves to play by instantaneously spreading widely its wings, exposing them 

 to the air for only a fraction of a second. Many Tettigids do this preparatory 

 to flight, as if trying their wings in exercise before attempting flight. It 

 requires close observation to see this performance, for the wings being 

 almost transparent, suffused with prismatic iridescence, are difficult to see 

 plainly. June 12, 1898. 



OVIPOSITION OF TETTIX TRIANGULARIS, MALE ACTIVE 

 DURING THE PROCESS — ENDS OF EGGS CAN BE SEEN 

 IN THE SHALLOW BURROW. 



At thirteen minutes of eleven a. m. a female Tettix triangularis has com- 

 menced to make a burrow with her ovipositor, selecting a lichen covered 

 spot {in vivarium jar). She has now her ovipositor in the soil, and although 

 on superficial examination appears motionless, careful examination shows 

 a very slight movement of the body. The specimen is bilineate on the 

 pronotum. Her abdomen is curved down under the pronotum and wings as 

 usual during oviposition. She is about ten millimeters long. The pres- 

 ence of the sunlight has created great activity in the jar. At 11 a. m. a 

 male, the identical one that figured in our observations of yesterday (May 

 9), has jumped on her back in a reversed position. Whether alarmed or 

 not, she has withdrawn her ovipositor, and stands in a normal position on 



