195 



BRITISH ORTHOPTERA. 



By Edward Ingleby Miller. 



(Concluded from p. 175.) 



= Gryllus-Locusta, L. ; Gryllus, Fab. ; Acridii, Latr. ; Acridiodea, 

 Wat. ; LocusTiD^, Leach. 



Thirteen species. Diurnal insects. The migratory locusts, 

 which do so much damage in foreign countries, belong to this 

 family, and several of them have appeared in this country at 

 various times. These insects are found in fields, sandy heaths, 

 and marshes ; they stridulate by rubbing the hind legs against 

 the elytra. 



Table of Genera. 

 I. Prothorax simple. 



1. Elyti'a and wings very short Pezotbtrix. 



2. Elytra and wings perfectly developed. 



A. Head (seen from above) not more than half as 



long as pronotum ffiniPODA. 



B. Head (seen from above) more than half as long as pronotum. 

 a. Species larger. 



AA. Space between eyes less than their length - Locusta. 

 BB. Space between eyes not less than their length Paghytylus. 



h. Species smaller Stenobothrus. 



II. Prothorax produced behind over the abdomen - - Tetrix. 



1. Stenobothrus, Fisch. 

 These insects are our common grasshoppers, which we so 

 often hear in sunny pastures. Most of the species are very 

 variable in colour. 



I. Antennaj not thickened at the apex (Rhammatocerus). 



1. Elytra of female about half the length of the abdomen ; 



of male scarcely as long as the abdomen - - parallelus. 



2. Elytra of female about as long as the abdomen ; of 



male longer than the abdomen. 



A. Outer carinse on thorax comparatively straight - elegans. 



B. Outer cariuEE on thorax curved. 



a. Elytra distinctly spotted - - - - ' - rufipes. 



b. Elytra not spotted. 



AA. A white streak on costal margin of each elytron Uneatus. 

 BB. Elytra without a white streak - - - viridulus. 

 c. Outer cariniE on thorax angular ... - hicolor. 

 11. Antennae thickened at the apex (Gomphocerus). 



1. Anterior tibiae of male thickened .... sihiricus. 



2. Anterior tibiae simple in both sexes. 



A. Elytra and femora distinctly spotted - - - biguttatus, 



B. Elytra and femora scarcely, if at all, spotted - - rufus. 



1. S. elegans, Charp., 1825. =: triearinata, Steph. — Not 

 common; it occurs in marshes in the East of England. 



2. S. iiarallclus, Zett., 1821. =pratorum, Eieb. — A very 

 distinct species, easily recognised by the shortness of the 



T 3 



