THE ORTHOPTERA. 115 



and again settle in a bush or amongst herbage, carefully 

 avoiding alighting on the ground where they would be 

 readily visible. Their flight is somewhat feeble for such 

 large insects. Great care must be taken, when capturing 

 specimens for preservation, not to hold them by their 

 powerful hind-legs, as they will not infrequently cast one 

 >off while endeavouring to escape. 



I have not yet noticed the larva of this species, but 

 should imagine it would closely resemble a wingless imago. 



Family LOCUSTID^:. 

 Caloptenus marginalis (Plate XVII., fig. 4). 



This is the little grasshopper which rises before our 

 footsteps in swarms on a hot summer's day ; it is one of the 

 last insects to leave us in the autumn, being frequently 

 found in warm situations on fine days in the middle of 

 winter. Owing to its great abundance this species must 

 inflict considerable damage on the grass, as it has taken up 

 its quarters like the English grasshopper in the cultivated 

 fields, where an unlimited supply of food is always at hand. 

 Formerly, no doubt, it was much less common round 

 Wellington than at present, owing to the few open spots 

 then existing, none of these grasshoppers being found in 

 the forest. 



The perfect insect may be recognized by the rudimentary 

 wings which are present on the thorax, thus causing it to 

 closely resemble the larval form of many of the winged 

 species, and for which it might readily be mistaken were its 

 true character unknown. 



Family LOCUSTID^E. 

 (Edipoda cinerascens (Plate XVI I. , fig. 3). 



This large and conspicuous insect occurs abundantly in 

 all open situations near Nelson, but is very rare in the 



