130 



almost always shorter than the wings. Stridulating organ of the male 

 as in Xiphidivm, but proportionally larger. Ovipositor stout, broad, with 

 the apical half usually upcurved ; when straight the apical third tapers 

 rather abruptly on the under side to a fine point. Anal plates and cerci 

 of males as in Xiphidivm. 



Very close to Xiphidivm, and by some writers united with that genus, 

 liedtenbacher places it as a sub-genus of Xiphidivm, separating its mem- 

 bers from those of Xiphidinm proper by the same characters as did Ser- 

 ville. As scientists differ in opinion with respect to what characters are 

 necessary to constitute a genus, and as, at the best, it is but an artificial 

 and arbitrary grouping of species for the sake of convenience, I follow 

 Serville, Scudder and Bruner in separating the two, believing that the 

 prime idea of convenience can thus be better subserved. 



As seen above, the larger, heavier body, longer prosternal spines, and 

 shorter and broader falcate ovipositor are the chief distinguishing char- 

 acters of Orchelimvm. The wing covers are more uniform in length, and 

 the color, while of slightly different shades of brown or green in the same 

 species according to season and habitat, does not run to the extremes of 

 variation as in Xiphidivm. 



The generic name, Orchelimvm, the literal meaning of which is "I dance 

 in the meadows," is a most appropriate one, for low, moist meadows 

 everywhere swarm with these insects from July to November ; and though 

 waltzes and quadrilles are probably not indulged in, yet the music and 

 song, the wooing and love-making which are the natural accompaniments 

 of those amusements, are ever present, and make the short season of ma- 

 ture life of the participants a seemingly happy one. 



Nine species of the genus have been taken by the writer within the 

 State, and probably several others occur which have not as yet been dis- 

 covered. 



a. Ovipositor with a very evident curve; its length less than 10mm. 

 b. Face without a median brown stripe, 

 c. Posterior femora unarmed beneath. 



d. Tegmina broadest at base ; the apical third narrower ; body 

 robust. 

 e. Tegmina and wings sub-equal in length ; size, medium. 



22. Obchelimum vulgabe, Harris. The Common Meadow Grasshopper. 

 Orchelimvm vulgare, Harris, Ins. Inj. to Veg., 1802, 1(12, fig. 77. 



