158 FAMILY V.— CEDIPODIN^. 



GENUS Dissosieira Scudder (1876). 



Head prominent, vertex elevated and tumid; antennas 

 of the male not thickened before, nor tapering at the tip ; 

 posterior lobe of the pronotum somew^hat enlarged, median 

 carina much elevated, deeply notched near the middle, the 

 posterior lobe much arched. Insects of large size and 

 prominent colors. 



THE CAROLINA LOCUST. 



[Dissosteira Carolina Linn.). 



This is a very common locust, and is found from early 

 July until late in autumn. Few persons do not know its 

 peculiar actions during the warmer portions of the day, 

 when the males fly two to six feet in the air, and there re- 

 main almost stationarj', producing a peculiar rattling, or 

 rather rustling sound. This seems to be their love song. 

 After pairing, which takes place early in August, and all 

 through that month and September, the female deposits her 

 eggs at the bottom of a cylindrical hole ; the eggs do not 

 hatch until spring. The female can greatly extend her ab- 

 domen, so that eggs can be found as deep as nearly two in- 

 ches below the surface. The insect prefers warm and sandy 

 situations, and is most commonly found upon sandy spots. 

 Its upper wings vary greatly in color, but possess always 

 that one which harmonizes best with the color of the sand 

 upon which the insect is found, hence all shades of light or 

 dark yellowish, brown, reddish, and even blackish can be 

 seen by observing the insect upon sands possessing that 

 shade of color. The usual color of this locust is a pale yel- 

 lowish-brown, with small dusky spots, wings black, with a 

 broad yellow hind margin, which is covered with dusky 

 spots at the tip. From the prevailing brown tints of its 

 coloring it has in some localities received the name of 

 "Quaker." Though quite variable in appearance it is easily 

 recognized by its black wings with pale border, which 



