ORTHOPTERA. 



LOCUST I DAE. 



Xipliidiitm varipcnnc, sp. nov. (PI. XIV.) 



(i). Distribution. 



This insect, described below, has been present in these 'Islands 

 (Oahu at least) for about 15 years. It was recorded by Brunner 

 as X. fuscum in 1895. It was also collected by Schauinsland in 

 1896-97, and published under the same name by Alfken. It 

 must have been introduced at Honolulu, and did not get spread 

 far from there for several years, as Pefkins says concerning it 

 in Fauna Hawaiiensis, II, p. 14, 1899, "Only in and around 

 Honolulu." The fact of its depositing its eggs beneath the leaf- 

 sheaths of sugar cane makes it easy of distribution in "seed" 

 cane, and probably accounts for its present distribution to all of 

 the islands. It is at present very generally distributed, in fact, 

 it might 'be said that they are everywhere: lowlands, valleys 

 and mountains, gardens, pastures, and cane-fields. It is called 

 by different names in different localities: Long'horned Grass- 

 hopper, Red-tailed Grassliopper, Brown-tailed Grasshopper, 

 and Green Cricket being names commonly used. 



(2). Feeding Habits. 



Being 'a grasshopper of the family Locustidae, it would natur- 

 ally be taken for a grass and foliage feeder, as are the majonly 

 of the grasshoppers; but observation proves it to be largely in- 

 sectivorous. Whether they have always been so, may not be 

 determined; but recently, their being abundant in sugar 

 cane-fields and that, too, where but little evidence is seen of 

 their having eaten cane, has led to investigation by the ento- 

 mologists, and planters as well, with the result that this grass- 

 hopper is found to feed to a large extent upon sugar cane leaf- 

 hoppers and other insects. They probably catch the adult leaf- 

 hoppers mostly by lying in wait till a leaf-hopper approaches or 

 alights near. In one instance !an adult leaf-hopper was seen to 

 alight immediately in front of an adult grasshopper; the latter 



