86 THE REPORT OF THE No. 19 



this, where the ground was not quite so wet, was an extensive growth of rushes and sedge. Ifc 

 was in the sedge that the green grasshoppers were most abundant, but they were very difficult 

 to capture since, when alarmed, most species of Locustidae, especially the smaller kinds, have ,i 

 the annoying habit of darting downwards into the sedge and then leaping rapidly from one etem 

 to another until one has not the least idea where to look for them. Fortunately, however, 

 most species are found in large numbers when their particular haunts are discovered. 



In this marsh, and practically in one spot, I took no less than a dozen kinds of Locustidae 

 alone, all but two of which are unrecorded from Canada. Of these, one of the most striking in 

 appearance though the smallest in size, is Xiphidhim Scudderi, a long-legged little hopper, ' 

 brownish instead of the usual green color, with short wings, long antennae and an extraordin- 

 arily long straight oripositor, often twice as long as the body. X. atteiiuatum, of which I 

 found a few specimens, seems to be merely a long-winged form of the same species. Another 

 interesting addition to our fauna made at Point Pelee is Scudderia Texensis, a very large 

 bright green form related to the well-known S. curvicanda but larger. It is one of the katydid 

 tribe and has a wing expanse of fully three and three-quarters inches. 



The most abundantly represented genus, however, was Orchelimum, six species being 

 found. Now this is remarkable Avhen it is remembered that from Toronto northward to Lake 

 Superior only one species occurs and that a very common and widespread one, viz., 0. agile. 

 This, by the way, is the common meadow grasshopper, whose familiar song, the " jip, jip, jip> 

 zee-e-e," is known to everyone. 



The other families of Otthoptera did not yield so many new forms, but one of them taken 

 in the same marsh as the one just described was wholly unexpected and has a very southern 

 distribution. This is TryxaUs brevicornis, a slender green and brown Acridian, with a long 

 oonical head and short flattened antennae. Its distribution as hitherto known is from Indiana . 

 and Long Id. to Honduras and Brazil, its occurrence in Indiana having been considered as un- 

 usually far north. I got but two specimens, both males, in good condition. 



Another trip which we took from Leamington was to Arner, a village a few miles west of 

 Kingsville. There were large open marshes here also, but although apparently very similar • 

 to those of Point Pelee, both the flora and insect fauna were in many respects different, some •■ 

 species common at Arner being entirely absent from the Point and vice versa. For example, 

 not a single specimen of Paroxya floridana was seen at Point Pelee though very common at . 

 Arner, and Orclielimum Bruneri was very common at Point Pelee, but none were seen at Arner. . 

 This was in fact the only locality visited during the present trip where the first named species i 

 was found. It is a pretty brightly colored grasshopper with blue hind tibiae and is characteristic : 

 of the Eastern States from southern New England and Indiana to Florida, not having been taken, 

 in Canada before. 



Another very interesting form taken at Arner which must not be overlooked is Atlanticus 

 pachymerits, belonging to the Decticinae, a group of Locustidae, characteristic of the western half f 

 ■of North America, Atlanticus being the only eastern genus. It is a large, clumsy, brown, 

 ■cricket-like form, the female quite devoid of either tegmina or wings, though the male has 

 retained the tegmina as organs of stridulation. The thorax is very large and shield-like, and 

 this feature has given the insect the name of the shield-back grasshopper. It is found in ravines 

 and wooded hill-sides, but I came across it only at Arner. 



From Leamington we went to Sarnia but on the way we stopped for five hours at Chathard 

 and went for a tramp along the Thames embankment. Here the flora was quite unique in char- 

 acter and of great luxuriance and vigor, the nettles and Jerusalem artichokes towering far above 

 our heads. The Professor pointed out several prairie species there, not found elsewhere in the 

 Province, and it is his belief that this section was once prairie. It certainly would appear so to 



