THE GENUS PlSSoDfi^. 21 



others diminish sHghtly in size to and including the seventli. Spiracle 

 8 is evidently not represented. The character of abdominal tergites 

 7 and 8 in the males and females of different species is clearly shown 

 in Plate VL It will be noted that they are qnite different from the 

 corresponding tergites in Dendrocionus, both in form and Testiture. 

 In those of Pissodes two or three hairs rise from each puncture instead 

 of one, as in Dendrocionus, and in tergite 7 of the male the middle 

 section of the posterior margin is broadly refuse, with the principal 

 stridulating scrapers on the subacute lateral angles. In the female 

 the posterior margin of tergite 7 is broadly rounded. The sensory 

 tubercles in tergite 7 of both sexes appear to be of considerable taxo- 

 nomic importance, especially in their number and arrangement. 



Sternites. — The characteristic form and relative proportions of the 

 abdominal sternites are shown in fig. 9 (p. 28). The intercoxal ])rocess 

 of sternite 3 (first visible sternite) is broad, with a slightly produced 

 acute apex. In addition to the description of the abdominal sternites 

 on page 10, suture 3 (or the first visible suture) is bisinuate, with the 

 middle section strongly curved forward. Sutures 4, 5, and 6 continue 

 straight to the lateral margin. The apex of sternite 7 in the males is 

 variously sculptured, as described in the synopsis of secondary sexual 

 characters. Sternite 8 in the males (Plate IX, /) is small, separated 

 in two sections, and forms the so-called genital plate, while in the 

 females (Plate VII, c) it is solid and evidently fused with tergite 9, 

 which is evidently represented by the chitinous rod on apodeme d, 

 and the fork j. 



The hypo pie urites are completely covered by tlie elytra; 1 and 2 are 

 fused with the anterior end of 3. The sides of 3 and 4 are nearly ver- 

 tical and have the dorsal edges acute, to fit into the posterior lateral 

 groove of the elytra; 5, 6, and 7 are oblique and increase in width to 

 and including 7, the posterior margin of which is obliquely curved to 

 fit around the lateral section of tergite 8 in the male or 7 in the female. 



THE WINGS. 



Mesothoracic wings (elytra). — In addition to the description on 

 page 11, the mesothoracic wings, or elytra, have each 10 striae and 

 1 1 interspaces, the latter including the costal and anal margins. The 

 costal edge is deeply grooved for the reception of the produced dorsal 

 edge of the metepisternum in the anterior section and of hypopleurites 

 3 and 4 in the posterior section. Beginning near the posterior end of 

 this groove and extending obliquely to the apex there is a triangular 

 area on the inner face of both elytra, which in the male is finely sul- 

 cate and serves as the stridulating rasp, while in the female the surface 

 is roughened, with irregular elevations, apparently not available for 

 producing sound. The subacute lateral angles of abdominal tergite 

 7 of the male evidently serve as the stridulatory scrapers. 



