210 REPORT OF STATE GEOLOGIST. 



SALTATORIA. 



Belonging to this class or sub-order, are three families which com- 

 prise the great majority of our best known Orthoptera. They are the 

 true "hoppers" or leapers of the order; their hind limbs, in the course 

 of ages, having become so modified as to be adapted in the highest 

 degree to the life which they lead. Possessing, also, in many in- 

 stances, ample organs of flight, which enable them, when disturbed, 

 to move rapidly to a distance, the males have evolved in connection 

 therewith organs of sound, by which they may call the members of 

 the opposite sex to them. Were it not for these calling organs the 

 two sexes would, during their varied movements, often be widely 

 separated, and perhaps be unable to locate one another after settling 

 in a new position. The males alone possess these organs of sound, 

 and they only when wings are present. All the wingless forms lack 

 also "auditory organs" or ears, since these would be useless unless 

 some means of producing sound were present. The families belon^j- 

 ing to this group may be separated by the following table: 



KEY TO FAJULIES OF SALTATORIAL ORTHOPTERA. 



a. Antenna} much shorter than the body, variable in form. Ocelli three. 

 Tarsi three-Jointccl. Colling organs of male, when present, situ- 

 ated on the hind femora and lower border of tegmina. Organs of 

 hearing, when present, located on the basal segment of the abdo- 

 men. Ovipositor composed of two pairs of short, horny, more or 



less curved plates, whose tips diverge Acridid.^s, p. 211 



aa. Antennae much longer than the body, bristle shaped, delicately taper- 

 ing. Ocelli often wanting. Tarsi four or three-jointed. Calling 

 organs of male, when present, situated on the dorsal field of the 

 tegmina. Organs of hearing, when present, located near the base 

 of the fore tibi.ie (rarely on the prosternum). Ovipositor (except in 

 certain crickets) an elongated blade or needle; its parts compact. 

 b. Ocelli generally wanting. Tarsi four-jointed. Tegmina with 

 the sides sloping. Calling organ of male, when present, lo- 

 cated on basal half of tegmina and limited to the anal area. 

 Ovipositor, Avhen exserted, forming a strongly compressed, 



generally sword-shaped blade, the tip not expanded 



Locust I D.'E, p. 340 

 bb. Ocelli variable. Tarsi three-jointed. Tegmina flat above, the 

 sides bent abruptly downward. Calling organ of male, when 

 present, extending across both anal and median areas of the 

 tegmina. Ovipositor, when exserted, forming a nearly cylin- 

 drical straight or upcurved needle, the tip often enlarged 



I Gryt.lid.e, p. 407 



