RKVISIOX OF Tin: OKTIIOPTKR^y GKOrr MELANOPLI 

 (ACKIIHIDAK), Wnil SPECIAL HEFEKENCE TO >'01{TU 

 AMEKICAN FOKMS. 



By SA3ILEL IIUBBAED SCUDDEK. 



INTRODUCTION. 



The present essay describes in detail iind discusses the classifi- 

 cation of a group of grasshoppers which forms the prevailing type of 

 orthopteran life throughout North America — the common short-horned. 

 grassho])i)ers one sees every summer day. Its best known representa- 

 tive to the world at large is the destructive migratory locust of the 

 West, the so called '* Kocky ^Mountain Locust."' The outbreak of this 

 insect has been at times extremely disastrous; so much so that a Gov- 

 ernment commission was for several years iu existence, which pub- 

 lished nearly twenty years ago two voluminous reports in which it and 

 one or two of its immediate allies were studie«l with a minuteness and 

 thoroughness, and illustrated with a fullness very rarely given to any 

 surh insignificant looking creature. 



This destructive insect has nniijerous closely related allies in all parts 

 of the United States, many of which often abound to such an extent as 

 to do serious damage to crops, and a few of them have been known to 

 migrate in similar fashion (though over a far more restricted area), so 

 that they have sometimes been mistaken by the uninstructed for that 

 destructive pest. 



The grt)up is almost confined to North America, and a great many 

 species hiive been described by various writers in a more or less <lesul- 

 toiy manner. It is the aim of the present i)aper to enlarge and sys- 

 tematize our knowledge of this important group as a basis for future 

 studies. No group of North Americaii Orthoi)tera has been in greater 

 need of revision. 



Proceedings U, S. National Museum, Vol. XX— No. 1 124. 

 Proc. N. M. vol. XX 1 



