382 



PSYCHE. 



[May 1896. 



NOTES ON THE ACRIDIDAE OF NEW ENGLAND.- 



ALINAE.— III. 



II.— TRVX- 



BY ALBERT P. MORSE, WELLESLEY, MASS. 



Pseudopomala brachyptera ( cont. ) . 



Habits, etc. This peculiar locust is 

 not uncommon locally on the coarser 

 grasses found in waste lands, especially 

 upon a species of bunch-grass (Audro- 

 pogon scoparius) everywhere alnmdant. 

 I have taken it also on beach-giass 

 at Provincetown, and upon timothy. 

 Though a good leaper and fairly active 

 it is not shy and seeks safety in 

 attempting to escape observation by 

 sidling around the grass-stems rather 

 than by active retreat. I once saw 

 a long-winged female fly several feet, 

 proving that with the possession of 

 the means came the power of flying. 

 Its sluggish habits, however, in con- 

 nection with its linear form, render 

 it less likely to attract the attention of 

 its enemies, and to the biologist it is 

 perhaps the most interesting of our 

 locusts on that account. It must be 

 seen in the living state to have its full 

 beauty appreciated. The singular, 

 almost grotesque, yet graceful form 

 interests even the casual observer, and 

 its coloration of lilaceous drab, giving 

 it almost the appearance of being 

 clothed with a delicate bloom, pleases 

 the most fastidious eye. 



I have taken young specimens at 

 various times in June and July and 

 adults from July 10 to Sept. 3. It is 

 likely to be met with, however, a week 

 earlier and some time later in the 



season. About 150 specimens, chiefly 

 collected in person, are from Frye- 

 burg. Me.; Florence (S. W. Denton), 

 Provincetown, Sherborn, Sudbury, 

 Wellesley, Winchendon, and West 

 Chop, M. v., Mass. ; Canaan, North 

 Haven, and Thompson, Conn. It 

 doubtless occurs in all of the New 

 England States. The long-winged 

 form, while not common, can scarcely 

 be called rare. 2 <? , 7 9 , specimens 

 were taken in each case in company 

 with the usual form. I have also an 

 additional $ captured by Mr. C. J. 

 Maynard at Newtonville, Mass., and 

 Mr. Scudder has one from Iowa. 



Tryxalis Fabr. 

 (= Metaleptea Brunner.) 



Triixalis Fabrlcius 1775. S. Ent., 

 p. 379. 



According to priority, as stated by 

 Brunner himself (Revision, p. iiS), 

 this name should be retained for this 

 genus. The genus is out of place in 

 Brunner's table since the apical angles 

 of the hind femora are not produced. 



Tryxalis brevicornis Linn. Figs. A, 

 Aa. Ab. 



Grylhcs brevicornis. Linn^, Cent. 

 Ins. p. 15, 37,-1763. 



Pyrgomorpha brevicornis. Thomas, 

 67. 



