578 ANNUAL EEPOET SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 19 2 8 



The little Uhler's katydid, A. uhleri, has in a surprising manner 

 broken away from the simpler formalisms of the group, and has 

 attained a more versatile running song than any other katydid I 

 have become acquainted with. Its notes begin with a soft, prolonged, 

 lisping, crooning monotone, produced by a rapid shuffling of the 

 wings. This soon runs into a succession of short staccato lisps — itsip- 

 itsip-itsip — and terminates with a succession of brief shuffling 

 phrases, sh-sh-sh-sh — sh-sh-sh-sh — sh-sh-sh-sh. Additional staccato 

 notes, tip — tip — tip, sometimes follow these closing phrases. It is 

 evident that a notable step toward variety has been built up in this 

 song around the simple elements of the continuous monotone, with 

 interruptions of its course, combined with the single-stroke play of 

 the scraper. In a sense the song combines in a .somewhat modified 

 form the elements of the notes of the round- winged katydid, A. 

 rotundifolia, and the oblong-winged katydid, A. ohiongifolia. The 

 phrases it-sip bear certain analogies with the it-z-zic of the oblong- 

 winged katydid, and in their quality and technique the phrases 

 sh-sh-sh-sh are almost the counterpart of those of the round-winged 

 katydid. The staccato notes tip-tip-tip-tip remind one of the moods 

 and modes of the meadow katydids, Orchelwnum and Conocephalv.s. 



In the genus Microcentrum we have two of our finest and largest 

 katydids, one the smaller angular-winged katydid, M. retinerve^ 

 almost strictly arboreal and exceedingly wild and restless, and the 

 larger angular-winged katydid, M. rhomhifolium, one of our tamest, 

 most docile and sedentary species. The former is rarely seen, for 

 it is active only at night and is not especially common in the Wash- 

 ington district. Its stridulations, which are very distinctive, now 

 and then advertise its presence in the trees after dark. The notes 

 consist of several lisping or rasping phrases rapidly delivered, 

 each successive phrase being shortened usually thus : Sh-sh-sh-sh — 

 sh-sh-sh — sh-sh. The usual number is three, although less rarely 

 four may be given. In low temperatures only one phrase may be 

 delivered. This succession of phrases is given at very irregular and 

 infrequent intervals as the creatures are roaming over the crowns 

 of the trees, usually not oftener than one to three in a minute. The 

 larger angular-winged katydid is a denizen of the low herbage and 

 shrubbery, and, like the robin and many other birds, appears to pre- 

 fer close contact with the domestic plantings of man. It is far more 

 common in cities and towns and around house plantings of shrubs 

 and trees than in wild, wooded situations. One note is a loud tsip, 

 tsip, delivered at the rate of twenty to thirty times per minute in a 

 very leisurely way. This is simply the result of a single closing 

 wing stroke, and is frequently indulged in at given intervals by all 

 the creatures in a locality. The true song which may then follow, 

 first by one, then by another, far and near, is the series of long-drawn 



