74 Prof. J. Wood-Mason on Orthopterous 



IX. — On a small Collection of Orthopterous Insects of the 

 Families Phasmid^ and Mantida3 from Australia and New 

 Britain, ivith Descriptions of four new Species. By Prof. 

 J. Wood-Mason, Deputy Superintendent, Indian Museum, 

 Calcutta. 



The insects described in the following pages have all been 

 recently received by me from my valued correspondent Mr. 

 Charles French, of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne, 

 South Australia, who is responsible for the correctness of the 

 localities here given. 



The occurrence in New Britain of near allies of two species 

 from the Fiji Islands is of particular interest. 



Family Phasmidae. 

 1. Bacteria Frenclii, n. sp. 



$ . Slender, cylindrical, uniform dark brown. Head slightly 

 narrowed from before backwards, and armed right between 

 the eyes with a pair of minute spines. A most distinct raised 

 median dorsal line runs along the whole length of the body. 

 Mesonotum and metanotum granulated, some of the granules 

 being developed into minute spines, especially on the former. 

 Both divisions of the metanotum and the dorsal arcs of the five 

 basal segments of the abdomen each with a small rounded 

 lobe at the hinder extremity. Abdomen above sparingly ob- 

 soletely granulated, and with three smooth longitudinal ridges 

 on each side of the middle line on all the segments except the 

 last two, on to which the three median ones only are con- 

 tinued, and gradually attenuated from the base of its fifth 

 segment to its extremity ; two terminal segments strongly 

 carinate, especially the last, which is acute-angled at the 

 extremity ; sixth ventral segment with an obtuse rounded pro- 

 cess at its hinder end. The operculum, which is longitudinally 

 but slightly convex, rounded at the free end, and carinate along 

 its apical half, reaches only to about the middle of the last 

 dorsal segment. Cerci minute, invisible from above. Legs 

 simple ; first joint of the tarsus in all rather longer than the 

 rest taken together. 



Total length 2 inches 5 lines ; antennae 9*75 lines ; head 

 1*25 line; prothorax 1 line; mesothorax 6*25 lines; meta- 

 thorax 4 lines; abdomen 13 + 3'5 = 16"0 lines ; fore femur 7 

 lines, tibia 7*5; intermediatefemur 6 lines, tibia 7'5; posterior 

 femur 7*5 lines, tibia 9 ; breadth about 1 line. 



Hah. North Australia {G. French). A single specimen, pre- 

 served in alcohol. 



