AMERICAN ORTHOPTERA. 241 



Abbreviated variety. — Differing only in the abortive condition of 

 pronotnin and wing?;, whicii do not pass the hind knee; 9. 1^ •"•"• 



Gen. PAKATETTIX Hoi. 



1. I*. OllOiilIafllN Riuni. (Plate VII. fig. 11, llrt). 



The coninionest local form preferring the immediate border of 

 streams. Chicago, Riverside and Rivergrove, III. 



Experiment in hatching young of Paratdtlx cucnlUifux : Aug. 4, 

 1895, five or six specimens from Riverside were placed in a quart 

 fruit jar with a little of the soil taken from the margin of the rivei'. 

 Contentment reigned for a few days, and in the interval they were 

 constantly seen on the soil ; copulation took place several times, 

 then they commenced to die off one at a time, as is usually the case 

 with this very wild species, owing to an inability to adapt themselves 

 to close confinement. On the night of the 20th, or early morning 

 of the 21st, dozens of newly-hatched young appeared on the bottom 

 of the jar; a few were pale yellowish white, the rest have already 

 taken on the warm gray color of the soil ; fifty-six individuals were 

 counted. After introducing the adult parent specimens they were 

 not seen depositing their eggs, but conclude this was done soon after 

 entering the jar, and sixteen days is the just estimate of the time 

 required for the full term of incubation. August 21st, at 12.40 p.m., 

 while looking in the jar a pale yellowish white, young, 1.5 mm. fell 

 on the bottom ; a moment later, from a crack in the side of the soil, 

 another specimen emerged. The eyes at this early stage is reddish 

 lirown, the only visible color. Rather unsteadily it clung to the 

 side of the earth while casting off the amnion, which, like a thin 

 pellicle, enveloj)ed the body. The shedding took place fnTin the 

 head backwards, finally adhering to the end of the alxlomen for a 

 few moments before the whole was completely discarded. Three 

 minutes from this time the young specimen made a vigorous junip 

 across the jar. At 5.25 p.m. the soil was searched, being carefully 

 separated, and two masses of eggs were discovered in different situa- 

 tions in the soil about an inch apart. When the eggs were laid the 

 ground was v/et and soft, a little pocket was made in one case, a 

 crack being chosen for the other in which to deposit the eggs about 

 one- quarter inch below the surface. Two young hatched when the 

 writer was engaged in examining the last remaining uidiatched eggs 

 with a hand magnifying-glass ; an opportunity was thus given to 



TRANS. AM. KNT. SOC. XXIII. (31) JULY, 1896 



