1S97.] THE SPECIES OF THE GENUS MELANOPLUS. 27 



h\ Median carina of pronotum obsolete or almost 

 obsolete on the prozona, distinct but low on the 

 metazona ; extremity of male cerci nearly plane or 

 merely depressed within the margin exteriorly ; 

 forks of furcula conspicuously divergent. 



i*. Prozona ordinarily with a broad median dark 

 stripe, made more conspicuous by the much 

 brighter colors on either side, or else light 

 brownish testaceous ; antennae of male but little 

 more than three-fourths as long as the hind fe- 

 mora ; hind tibite blue or red .packardii. 



/-'. Prozona with uniform dingy coloring on 

 disk ; antennae of male almost as long as the 



hind femora ; hind tibiae red .fixdus. 



Jr. Median carina of pronotum tolerably distinct 



on the prozona, at least anteriorly ; distinct and 



moderately high on the metazona; extremity of 



male cerci deeply sulcate exteriorly or else tumid ; 



forks of furcula parallel or only slightly divergent. 



/\ Larger species ; narrowest part of interspace 



between mesosternal lobes of male narrower 



than the narrowest part of frontal costa ; sides 



of head and prozona rarely with any black band ; 



interspace between mesosternal lobes of female 



strongly transverse; hind femora red beneath; 



hind tibiae stout corpulenius. 



p. Smaller species ; narrowest part of interspace 

 between mesosternal lobes of male equal to the 

 narrowest part of frontal costa; sides of head 

 and prozona with a black band ; interspace be- 

 tween mesosternal lobes of female subquadrate ; 

 hind femora yellow beneath ; hind tibi^ slender. 



conspersus. 

 g"^. Interspace between mesosternal lobes of male 



subquadrate covipadus. 



/■'. Subgenital plate of male very narrow and narrower 

 apically than the extreme base of the cerci ; supraanal 

 plate on the same general plane throughout; cerci 

 slender and much narrowed in the middle, gradually 

 incurved, exteriorly tumid at apex (Plebejus series). 



