FAMILY II. 



PHILOPTERID^E. (Burmeister.) 

 Orthoptera epizoica (Nitzsch). Nirmidse (Leach.) 

 ESSENTIAL CHARACTER. 



Antennae filiform, with three or five joints; maxillary 

 palpi, none ; mouth with strong mandibles. 



NATURAL CHARACTER. 



Mouth beneath ; maxillae none ; mandibulae nearly con- 

 cealed by the labium ; pro-thorax narrower than the head ; 

 meso-thorax none, or hid by the meta-thorax, which is very 

 large ; abdomen with nine segments ; oesophagus long, 

 unilateral, ending somewhat acutely in the caecum ; biliary 

 vessels four, free, equal, without any particular enlarge- 

 ment. Males with two testicles on each side ; females 

 with five ovaries on each side the uterus. Coitus exercetur 

 mare feminee submisso huj usque pedes tertios tenente an- 

 tennis, si hae sunt cheliformes. Metamorphosis indistinct, 

 perhaps none ? 



