286 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol. xxxii. 



While most of the Decticinaj are winged, two genera, Capnolj<jte>< 

 and Anoplod'UHa^ have organs of flight sufficiently developed for flying. 

 In most cases the wings are aborted, and the el3"tra, while usually 

 larger than the wings, are useless for purposes of flight, though in the 

 case of the males of some species they are admirably adapted to the 

 production of sound, the tympanum being extremely well developed. 



Aside from the species of Anahrus and Peranahrus^ which ha^'e been 

 variously called western cricket, mormon-cricket, coulee-cricket, etc., 

 the members of this group have received few popular names. In a 

 Vjroad sense they have been called Jerusalem crickets. The name 

 camel cricket, so far as known to the writer, is not applied to members 

 of this group, l)eing used oni}^ for the wingless stenopelmatid genus 

 Ceathophilm. In northern Europe certain common species of Decti- 

 cinse are known as "wart-eaters" by the peasants, w^ho cause them to 

 bite off warts, the belief being that warts thus injured will return 

 no more. 



In the preparation of this paper I have studied specimens of all the 

 species. Besides the material of the U, S. National Museum I have 

 examined that in the Scudder collection, the collections of the 

 Academy of Natural Science of Philadelphia, of the American Museum 

 of Natural History in New York, of the Museum of the Institute of 

 Arts and Sciences in Brooklyn, New York, and the material in the 

 collections of the agricultural experiment stations of Colorado and 

 Washington. In addition to the foregoing material the private col- 

 lections of Profs. Laurence Bruner, A. P. Morse, and W. S. Blatchley 

 were examined. Probably the most valuable collection studied was 

 that of Dr. S. II. Scudder, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Several 

 weeks were spent examining this famous collection, access to it and 

 facilities for its stud}" having been accorded me by Mr. Sanuiel 

 Henshaw, curator in the Museum of Comparative Zoology. Without 

 access to this collection a satisfactory revision of the Decticinje would 

 scarcely have been possible, and for the privilege of examining it I 

 am grateful to those concerned. Especial thanks are due Professor 

 Bruner, who, in addition to allowing me free and unrestricted access 

 to his rich collection, presented the National Museum with many 

 desirable specimens, some rare, others unique. 



The Decticina', as represented in North America, are defined as 

 follows: 



Tarsi more or less depressed, the first two segments longitudinally 

 sulcate laterally; anterior tibia3 with a slit-like foramina near the base 

 on each side and with an apical spine on the outer side above; anterior 

 coxae spined. Antennai inserted between the ej^es, nearer the summit 

 of the occiput than the upper margin of the labrum. Posterior tarsus 

 with a free plantula at the base of the first joint. Organs of fiiglit. 



