THE SOLPUGID.€ OF AMERICA. 



PAPERS OF J. DUNCAN PUTNAM, 

 Arranged for PrBi-rcATioN by Herbert Osborn, M. Sc, Entomologist 



TO THE A(JRICULTURAL COLLEGE, AmES, IoWA. 



PREFATORY NOTE. 



It is but justice to my lamented friend, J. Duncan Putnam, whose work 

 on tlie Solpugida I have undertaken to prepare for publication, to state that 

 as it now appears, it can by no means represent what he would have made it. 



The papers as placed in my hands consisted almost entirely of the orig- 

 nal notes, few of which had been even copied, and with the exception of 

 the general matter in the first portion no systematic elaboration had been 

 attempted. Such notes have a connection and a meaning for the person 

 collecting them, which can be but partially apparent to any one else. Had 

 it not been for their remarkable clearness and legibility which left scarcely 

 a word in doubt, the task would have been well nigh impossible. 



My attempt has been to arrange all the material in as nearly as possible 

 the order that would have been followed by Mr. Putnam. I have placed. 



First. The general notes concerning the family and its genera. 



Second. The descriptions of new. and the notes and comparisons of 

 named species. 



Third. List of North American specimens giving the collections in 

 which they are preserved. 



Fourth. Extracts from notes and correspondence relating to this group. 



Fifth. Bibliographj\ embracing, (1) chronological bibliography ; (2) index 

 to species; (3) catalogue of libraries. 



The portion embracing general notes is one (apparently the latest) of sev- 

 eral which cover nearly the same ground, but exhibit some modifications of 

 statement. 



In the descriptions of new species the specific names had unfortunately 

 not been supplied, (with perhaps one exception where a disconnected, par- 

 tial description, with name, refers to the same insect as another full descrip- 

 tion), and in order to secure their recognition such names have been added, 

 with Mr. Putnam's name affixed, in the sincere hope that future workers will 

 retain them in the form they are given, and thus secure to the describer the 

 credit which his labor deserves. 



The list of specimens and the collections in which they are found will 

 be of great service to future students. 



The extracts, which are necessarily few in number, have been selected 

 either with reference to their probable use to those who maj' study the 

 group hereafter, or to indicate the stages of progress in his own work. 



[Proc, D. A. N, S.. Vo,. m,l 8S [Dec. ,5, !«.] 



