776 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [DeC., 



The former, although some miles long, occasionally goes dry in a very 

 short space of time, and fills up again with as great rapidity. The 

 water has been found to flow in and out through a subterranean pas- 

 sage, and once, when the lake went dry, a peculiarly marine fish was 

 taken from the opening through which the water had receded. This 

 opening was filled with a great number of fish, although they had been 

 left dead by the thousand on the bed of the lake when the water dis- 

 appeared. 



The soil of this region is rich, but not deep, the red clay, which is 

 everywhere, often being within a few inches of the surface of the high 

 ground where, however, the crops seem to grow as well as anywhere. 

 The Orthoptera of the country around Thomasville is best repre- 

 sented in the pine woods. Here among the wire-grass and pine needles 

 which carpet the ground many interesting species are to be found. 

 In early December, before the frosts have thinned their numbers, 

 Amblytropidia occidentalis, Aptenopedes sphenarioides and Radinotatum 

 brevipenne are most abundant through these forests; Schistocerca 

 damnifica, Melanoplus keeleri, M. nigrescens and M. scudderi are then 

 by no means common but more restricted to colonies. Among the 

 really scarce species are Melanoplus sijlvestris and Gymnoscirtetes 

 pusillus. By December OrphuleUa pratorum, which swarms in the 

 open spots of the woods in the fall, becomes quite scarce, as is the case 

 with Arphia xanthoptera, and to a considerable extent that of Dicty- 

 ophorus guttatus. By the end of December almost all Orthoptera dis- 

 appears owing to the cold weather, and during the following two months 

 the conditions usually remain the same. In March, at the advent of 

 warm weather, Amblytropidia occidentalis and Aptenopedes sphena- 

 rioides are again very plentiful and Schistocerca americana appears 

 common in certain localities, while S. damnifica and Arphia sulphurea 

 are generally noticed. The Forficididce is represented by several 

 species, only one of which. Labia burgessii, is abundant. Infrequently 

 Labia minor and Anisolabis anmdipes are found, and occasional small 

 colonies of Labia guttata and Spongophora brunneipennis located. 

 These colonies are usually found in dead magnolias or other hardwood 

 trees, but occasional specimens may be taken from bark on pine logs. 

 The Blattidce is represented by Ceratinoptera lutea, which is sometimes 

 very common among the dead leaves under oaks, sweet gums and 

 hickories. In the pine logs between December and March many imma- 

 ture Ischnoptera may be taken by peeling off the loose bark; mature 

 individuals begin to appear about the middle of April, and by May 

 most specimens are fully developed. The most plentiful species of 



