1 25 



is. Xiphidium nigropleurum, Bruner. The Black-sided Grasshopper. 

 Xiphidium nigropJcurum, Bruner, Canad. Entom., XXITL, 1891, 58. 

 Osborne, Proc. la. Acad. Sci., I., 1862, 118. 

 Blatchley, Canad. Ent., XXV., L893, 90, 



A medium sized, rather robust species, easily distinguished from all 

 others of the genus by its peculiar coloration. In Indiana dimorphic 

 forms occur; one having the pronotum, tegmina and legs bright grass 

 green, the other with these parts brownish yellow, the green wholly ab- 

 sent. Both forms have the stripe on the occiput and the sides of the ab- 

 domen shining black ; the former narrowing in front to the width of the 

 tubercle, and bordered on each side with yellowish white. In the green 

 forms the usual brown stripe on the disk of pronotum is but faintly de- 

 fined, in the other it is very evident. 



" The tegmina are usually abbreviated, reaching only four-fifths of the 

 length of the abdomen, but an occasional specimen is to be found in 

 which the wings are fully developed and then reach to the extremity of 

 the ovipositor in the female. Ovipositor straight, quite broad and heavy. 

 Male cerci of medium length, rather stout, tapering gently toward the 

 apex, and with a strong sub-basal tooth." — Bruner, (loc. <-it. I 



Measurements: Male — Length of body, 14 mm.; of tegmina, 9 mm.; 

 of hind femora, 13.5 mm.; of pronotum, 3.5 mm. Female — Length of 

 body, 15 mm.; of tegmina, 8.5 mm.: of hind femora, 14 mm.; of ovipos- 

 itor, 16 mm. 



In Indiana this handsome insect is known to occur in the two widely 

 separated counties of Fulton and Vigo, but in restricted localities and 

 small numbers, as far as noted, in each. In Fulton county it was found 

 only in a broad, shallow ditch by the side of a railway and near the bor- 

 der of a large tamarack swamp, where it inhabited a space not more than 

 twenty feet square, which contained several dead willow branches, sur- 

 rounded by a dense growth of sedge and Polygonum. Here, on August 

 26th, four females were taken and on September 24th two males and two 

 females. These were all that were seen, although a careful search was 

 made over a wide area in every direction for others. The most of those 

 secured were taken by clasping the hand about the slender willow 

 branches which were raised a few inches above the ground, on the under 

 side of which the insects took refuge when pursued. A single male taken 

 from the margin of the large pond mentioned under Conocephaluspalustrix, 

 is the only specimen as yet seen in Vigo county. The species has been 



