Kagen.] 400 [Fobnmry 26, 



(.f the legs is extraordinary; tliey are shorter than the ab.lomen, and 

 ne^.rlyas long as the tibia; its basal joint two-thirds of the length ro- 

 bust, the. tarsus of the tibia, its apical joint one-third, without plan- 

 tula between the two claws. With the microscope I think I find 

 between these two joints, two others, very small, certainly one; the 

 second and apical is doubtful. The place of the species in the 

 family of Termiiina is apparently near Hodo!ermes, which has no 

 ocelli, and the first joint of the tarsus longer than the others, but not 

 so long as in this specimen. 



But to which sex or state does the animal belong? 'This question 

 is most interesting. Its corneous, dark colored teguments exclude 

 the idea that it is a larva or nynipha; the equally enlarged thorax 

 excludes the laborer, the ordinary form of the mandibles, the soldier. 

 It would be very good as an imago, but no trace of wings or wing-cases 

 exists. Lespes mentioned among the Termed forms witJi short wing- 

 cases in T. lucifugus, and I have done the same in Calo^ermes flavi- 

 co'Jls. These forms are very little known, and the assertion of Lespes, 

 that the king and the queen are raised from this state, is very doubt- 

 ful. I think that these forms are similar to the short-winged exam- 

 ples in other Orthoptera, Blattina, Psocina, Perlina. But Hodotermes 

 Japonicus has not the least trace of the existence of wings or wing- 

 cases. It is impossible to say more without further materials. But 

 it is possible that Termitina exist without wings in the imago state, as 

 among the Psocina, and that Hodotermes Japonicus belongs to such 

 Termitina. 



The Secretary read a letter from Mr. G. Lincecum of Texas, 

 describing the ravages of grasslioppers in that State. 



Last spring the young were hatched from the egg in the early days 

 of March; by the middle of the month they had destroyed half the 

 vegetation, although the insects Avere wingless and not larger than a 

 houseily. The first winged specimens were seen high in the air at 

 about three in the afternoon ; as a light northerly breeze sprang up, 

 millions dropped to the earth, covering the ground in an hour, and 

 destroying every green thing with avidity. During the night they 

 were quiet, but at daybreak commenced to eat, and continued until 

 ten in the morning, ivhen they all fiew southward. At about three 

 o'clock on the afternoon of the same day another swarm arrived, 

 ten times greater than the last: these took flight the following day; 

 and so they continued, coming and going, day after day, devouring 

 the foliage and then depositing their eggs. At first they selected 

 bare spots tor this purpose, but finally the whole surface of the earth 

 was so broken up by their borings that every inch of ground cen- 



