1868.] 233 [Scudder. 



Orthoptora are first divided into two tribes, Orthoptera genuina and 

 Harmoptera (Forficularias) . The Orthioptera proper are again 

 divided into two sections, Sternopoda (Blattariae) and Pleuropoda. 

 The latter are subdivided into Gressoria, — families Mantodea and 

 Phasmodea, Saltatoria, — families Acridiodea, Locustina and Gryl- 

 lodea, and Fossoria, — families Gryllotalpina and Xyodea. 



H. Fischer of Freiberg, in his Orthoptera Europaea, published in 

 1853, has exactly reversed Westwood's divisions,^ and united the 

 Mantides and Phasmodea under Fieber's name of Gressoria. 



Lastly, Gerstsecker, in the second volume of Carus' Handbuch der 

 Zoologie, jjublished in 1863, divides the Orthoptera genuina, from 

 which he excludes the Dermatoptera (Forficularite) , into tliree pri- 

 mary divisions, Cursoria, — including the family Blattina, Gressoria, — 

 including the families Mantodea and Phasmodea, and Saltatoria, — 

 including the families Gryllodea, Locustina and Acridiodea. The 

 Dermatoptera he jilaces below them. 



Without attempting to discuss whether the Pseudo-Neuroptera 

 should be admitted into the ranks of the Orthoptera, or to prove that 

 the Forficularise should not be considered a separate group equal in 

 value to the other Orthoptera as a whole, I will simply point out the 

 way in which these families seem to me to arrange themselves. Having 

 placed the saltatorial group above the non-saltatorial, a much more 

 difficult question arises in determining the order of the three saltato- 

 rial families ; I am, however, strongly inclined to place the Gryllides 

 and Locustarije above the Acrydii, on account of the specialization 

 of the organs for ovipositing in the females, and the more perfected 

 structure and higher character of the organs of stridulation in the 

 males. The intimate relation of these two families to each other, 

 both in the features alluded to, and in the close resemblance of such 

 allied forms as Phalangopsis and Rhaphidojihora, shows that the 

 Acrydii cannot be placed between them, and the only remaining 

 question is the relative position of the Gryllides and Locustaria3. 

 Dufour has shown how similar the internal anatomy of Xya is to that 

 of many Acrydii, but this is an exceptional case among Gryllides, 

 and should not be allowed too great weight; on the other hand, the 

 great variety of form of almost any given organ among the crickets, 

 compared with its relative uniformity of structure among Locustarise, 

 seems to indicate the higher character of the former. And I do not 



1 In my remarks iu the previous volume of these Proceedings, p. 390, I had over- 

 looked Fischer's statement, that the table given by him was to be considered a 

 diapositio ascendens. 



