254 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [July, 



Pedies variabilis (Scudder). 



1897. Melanoplus variabilis Scudder, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XX, p. 319, 

 PI. XXI, fig. 8. [cf , 9 ; Mexico City and Queretaro, Mexico.]. 



Ocotlan, Jalisco, 5000 feet, VIII, 29 to IX, 1, 1906, (P. P. Calvert), 1 iuv. 9 , 



[A. N. S. P.]. 

 Yurecuaro, Michoacan, 5000 feet, IX, 4, 1906, (P. P. Calvert), Icf , [A. N. 



S P 1 

 Tlalpam, Distrito Federal, XI, 1887, (L. Bruner), 21 d^, 6 9, [Hebard Cln.]. 



This insect, the single type of which is before us, is a distinctly 

 aberrant member of the present genus. Compared with P. mexicanus 

 it is found to differ in the slender, conical prosternal spine, the 

 weakly obtuse-angulate caudal margin of the pronotum, the dis- 

 tinctly less retreating face, lanceolate and overlapping tegmina and 

 distinctive male genitalia. The general structure, however, par- 

 ticularly of the head and pronotum, shows definitely a derivation 

 from the stock of P. virescens and mexicanus rather than from any of 

 the types of the genus Melanoplus.^ 



Cephalotettix pilosus (StS,!). 



1878. P(latyphyma) pilosus St&l, Bih. till k. Svensk. Vet.-Akad., Handl., 



V, No. 9, p. 10. [cf , 9 ; Mexico.] 

 1897. Cephalotettix parvulus Scudder, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XX, p. 31, 



PL III, fig. 1. [cf ; Atoyac and Orizaba, Vera Cruz, Mexico.] 

 1897. Rliabdoietliz pilosus Scudder, ibid., p. 35. [Generic assignment.] 

 1897. Melanoplus geniculatus Scudder, ibid., p. 239, PL XVI, fig. 3.Mcf, 9 ,' 



Mexico.] 



Careful comparison of Scudder's type of parvulus and his type and 

 allotype of geniculatus with Stal's description of pilosus proves the 

 synonymy given above, Stal's material apparently differing only in 

 being somewhat larger, (length 16 mm.). That size variation occurs 

 in the species is shown by the two males before us, (length 12.7 and 

 14 mm.). 



The specimens described as geniculatus have lost their natural 

 brilliant coloration from immersion in alcohol. This explains the 

 differences in Scudder's color descriptions of parvulus and geniculatus. 

 Haste and carelessness fully explain the glaring errors made by that 

 author. Unfortunately, his " Revision of the IMelanopli" shows so 

 frequent a succession of such serious errors that these would seem 

 inexplicable, were the author's superficial method of procedure not 

 known. 



The black genicular areas of the caudal femora and bases of the 



* The peculiar percurrent lateral carinse of the pronotum and character of the 

 surface of the lateral lobes are exactly as in P. mexicanus. 



^ This figure is incorrect, the subgenital plate and cerci of the specimen figured 

 being exactly as given on plate III, figure 1. 



