FAMILY VI.-LOCUSTID^. 245 



Atlatiticus pachymerus Burmeister. 



SHIELD-BACKED GRASSHOPPER. 



Grayish-brown, with the wing-covers of the male marked 

 with black. The abdomen and femora are sprinkled with 

 minute blackish dots. The extreme lateral edge of the pro- 

 notum with a 3'ellowish border, preceded by a black streak 

 at the posterior edge. 



Measurements. — Male: Length of body, 20 mm.; of 

 pronotum, 10mm.; of hind femora, 16 mm. Female: Length 

 of body, 22 mm.; of pronotum, 9 mm.; of hind femora, 18 

 mm.; of ovipositor, 17 mm. 



Only a few of these wingless and dull-colored grasshop- 

 pers were found. The insects are very striking, owing to the 

 large size of the pronotum, which is so enlarged as to extend 

 back over the two other thoracic segments. The ovipositor 

 of the female is also greatly developed and almost straight. 

 The fully-grown insect (Fig. 160, male) is found early in 



July ; it seems to prefer the 

 dry hill-sides. The young 

 appear very early in the 

 season, and are much more 

 active during this period 

 than in their mature state, 

 „. .^„ ,,, ^. , , when thev crawl rather 



Fij?. ibO. — A tlanticus pachymerus, male. 



°"^"^^'- than leap. In captivity 



they feed as readily upon animal as upon vegetable food, and 

 in the natural state probabl}' feed upon the dead bodies of 

 such small animals as they can find. The adults are far less 

 numerous than the young, being probably killed by ground- 

 feeding birds, as they do not hide by day as do the various 

 kinds of Ceuthophili. The adults are sometimes found 

 resting on the leaves and stems of low shrubs and weeds, 

 but seldom climb over two or three feet from the ground. 

 Their song- resembles that of Orchelitnum vulsare. It is a 



