119 



VI. Xipiiidium, Serville (1831 |. 



This genus includes our smallest winged Locustidse. The vertex pro- 

 jects forward and slightly upward in the form of a rounded tubercle which 

 is hollowed out on the sides for the reception of the basal joint of the an- 

 tenrue. Face rounded, somewhat oblique. P]yes rather large, sub-globose. 

 Spines of prosternum very short and weak ; often mere cone-shaped protu- 

 berances. "Wing covers narrow, straight, rounded at the end, often varying 

 much in length in the same species, but for the most part shorter than 

 the abdomen. Wings usually a little shorter than the wing covers. Strid- 

 ulating organ of male well developed, the veins prominent, light brown 

 in color, and with the middle transparent. Hind femora of medium 

 length, stout at base. Ovipositor narrow, straight, or but slightly curved, 

 oftentimes of excessive length. Anal plates of male not prolonged ; the 

 cerci usually much swollen, and toothed at base on the inner margin. 

 Eight species are known to occur in the State. 



These insects are more variable in color and in the length of wings than 

 those of any other genus of Orthoptera known to me. The variations, 

 however, seem to be abrupt with no intervening forms. There are long- 

 winged and short- winged forms of the same specie* but none with the 

 wings of medium length ; and when a brown form is tinged with green, 

 or vice versa, the amount of the different color varies but little. Five of 

 our eight species are thus dimorphic as regards the length of wings, the 

 short-winged individuals, as far as my observation goes, far outnumber- 

 ing those with the wings fully developed; and at least three of the eight 

 are variable with respect to color. 



a. Ovipositor shorter than the body. 

 b. Ovipositor straight. 

 c. Wings a little longer than the wing covers ; the latter always fully 

 developed. 

 14. Xiphidium fasciatum:, (DeGeer.) The Slender Meadow Grasshopper.- 

 Locusta fasciata DeGeer, "Mem., III., 1778, 45S, PI. XL., fig. 4." 

 Xiphidium fasciatum, Burmeister, Handb. der Ent., II. , 1839, 708. 



Scudder, Boston Jour. Nat. Hist., VII., 1862, 451. 

 Id., Distr. of Ins. in N. Harnp., 1874, 368. 

 Id., Rep. U. S. Ent. Com., II., Appen. II., L880, 23. 

 Id., Rep. Ent. Soc.Ont., XXIII., 1892, 75. (Song of.) 

 Smith, Orthop. of Maine, 1868, 145. 



