24 N. S. ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



Key to Species of Melanoplus. 



A. Tegmina as long or longer than the abdomen. Furcula usually well develop- 

 ed. 



B. Prosternal spine pointed. Subgenital plate of male with median notch. Cerci 

 short, their length not more than twice as much as width at middle. Hind 

 tibia red, hind femora usually crossed with dusky transverse bands. Me- 

 dian carina on prozona seldom distinct atlanis. 



BB. Prosternal spine bulbous or rounded. Subgenital plate of male without me- 

 dian notch. Distal half of cerci less than half as broad as at base. Hind 

 tibia red, hind femora without dusky crossbars. Median carina distinct on 

 prozona femur-rubrum. 



C. Large or moderately large species. Furcula present but small. Cerci of male 

 somewhat sock-shaped. Hind tibia red or purplish. Pronotum with lateral 

 yellowish stripes bivitattus. 



A. A Tegmina shorter than the abdomen. Subgenital plate of male variable, us- 

 ually narrower than long, apical margin entire. Cerci tapering distally. 

 extremus. 



!YI. atlanis (Riley) 



Members of this species are very abundant throughout the province. Size medium. 

 The color varies from dark grey to reddish brown. Head brownish, mottled with a 

 darker color, a dark band behind the eyes reaching to the metazona. In the female thig 

 band is somewhat broken into spots. 



M. femur-rubrum (DeG.) 



This is the common red-legged locust and is often confused with atlanis. It is me- 

 dium in size and the usual color is reddish brown, but the color varies both locally and 

 seasonally. It can easily be distinguished by the shape of the prosternal spine, and the 

 subgenital plate in the male. 



\I. bivitattus (Say). 



This is our largest species of Melanoplus and is commonly called the yellow-striped 

 locust. The color varies from dull brown to bright green, according to season and local- 

 ity. There is a narrow yellow stripe extending back from the upper angle of the right 

 eye along the lateral carina of the pronotum and along the tegmina nearly to the tips. 

 Hind tibia red or purplish. Usually found in moist places where there is a luxuriant 

 growth of grass or clover. 



!YI. extremus (Walker). 



Size medium, color dark brown. A dark bar extends back from the eyes along the 

 lateral lobes of the prozona. Tegmina shorter than the abdomen, light brown in color 

 with small darker colored spots. 



