SYNOPSIS OF THE ORTHOPTEKA OF WESTERN EUROPE. 9 



5. DOLICHOPODA LINDERI, DufoUl'. 



Testaceous : dorsal segments of thorax and abdomen bordered with 

 fuscous : all femora unarmed beneath : anal segment of male trans- 

 verse, not toothed. Length of body, 17mm. 5 ; of pronotum, 3-8mm. 

 $ ; of anterior femora, 13-5mm. ? ; of middle femora, 13"5mm $ ; of 

 hinder femora, 21'5mm. J ; of hinder tibife, 26mm. $ . 



Taken in the Grotto of Villefranche in the eastern Pyrenees, and 

 also at grotto of Conflans near Prades and Limoux, and Grotte des 

 Chauvesouris, near Chateaudouble. 



Section III : Gryllodea. 



This section comprises the crickets, which have long antennae., and 

 exserted ovipositor in common with the Locustodea, and, like that group, 

 produce their song by the friction of the elytra ; the manner of the 

 latter, however, differs in detail ; they resemble the Acridiodea in 

 having three segments in the tarsi, but, as in the preceding group, 

 the auditory organ, which is occasionally absent, is situated in the 

 anterior tibije. These characters will enable the student easily to 

 recognise even the most bizarre form of cricket, but we may mention, 

 also, the following peculiarities : — 



The head is ahnost invariably rounded, the frons vertical, and separated from 

 the vertex by a narrow, nearly horizontal, rostrum; three ocelli are usually present, 

 in addition to the true eyes. The pronotum is generally simple, square, with 

 reflexed sides. 



The elytra are generally truncate at the apex, and are sharply divided into 

 two distinct portions ; the anterior portion, when at rest, is placed vertically in a 

 plane at right angles to the dorsal surface ; this portion is narrow, and is the least 

 important part of the organ. The venation of this part is not much modified for 

 stridulation ; while in the Locustodea, this portion is the largest part of the 

 elytra, in the Gryllodea it is the smallest ; it is the horizontal part which is 

 modified to form a stridulating organ in both groups. In the crickets the modifi- 

 cation (in the male at least) is the same in both elytra, and the sound is produced 

 equally by each. The modification is very remarkable, and in order co study it 

 the student is recommended to obtain some fresh specimens of the common house- 

 cricket, which may usually be found in bakeries, if not in all private houses. The 

 homologies of the veins may be picked out with a little care. 



The apical part of the elytra is normal. 



This modification for stridulation is normally present only in the male, but in 

 Gryllotalpa the elytra are very similar in both sexes. 



A good many crickets are entirely apterous ; in Trigonidium the elytra are 

 horny and coriaceous as in the coleoptera. 



The wings are often absent, or may be fully developed or abortive in the 

 same species. When present, they are very simple, juembranous, delicate, and 

 caudate, that is, the apical part, when folded, projects well beyond the elytra, 

 but, instead of being hardened as in certain Fhaneropteridae, for example, they are 

 delicate, and probably serve as organs of touch, for the crickets are mostly 

 nocturnal, or inhabitants of holes and narrow burrows. 



The feet resemble those of the Locustodea, with the exception of the tarsi 

 which have only three segments, as we have seen ; in the Gryllotalindae and the 

 Tridactylidae, the anterior pair are modified for digging. 



The posterior tibiaj are only spined above ; in addition to the fixed spines, 

 there are apical spines or spurs which have an articulated insertion, and are also 

 pubescent. In Tridactylu-s they are flattened. The tarsi have two apical spines on 

 the first segment ; in Tridactylus the tarsi are abortive. 



The abdomen is generally cylindrical. The cerci are long and hairy; the 

 subgenital lamina generally carries short styles. 



The ovipositor is exserted, long, and slender ; it is wanting in the Gryllotal- 

 pidae and Tridactylidae. 



It appears that there are about a dozen ecdyses. The larvaB 



