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Orthoptera: with Special Reference to British Species. 



By Malcolm Burr, F.Z.S., F.E.S. Read April 27th, 1899. 



Orthoptera, although one of the most neglected orders of insects, 

 are for many reasons more attractive, perhaps, than any other group. 

 Among them we find bright and beautiful colours, bizarre and curious 

 forms, an extraordinary amount of peculiar adaptation to environment, 

 mimicry, seasonal dimorphism — in a word, all those qualities that 

 invite attention as well from the dilettante collector as from the deep- 

 thinking philosopher. Yet, in spite of these advantages, it is only 

 within the last few years, comparatively speaking, that they have been 

 carefully and systematically studied by entomologists. 



In this paper I will endeavour to sketch a history of the study of 

 Orthoptera, with special reference to our British species, and a brief 

 glance at the more striking exotic forms. 



Sixty years ago, like all other groups of insects, Orthoptera were in 

 a state of systematised chaos. Simultaneously there appeared on the 

 scene two well-known works — Burmeister's " Handbuch," and Audi- 

 net's Serville's " Histoire des Orthopteres," — in the year 1839, the 

 former remarkable for its comprehensiveness, the latter for the exact- 

 ness of its descriptions. About the same time Fischer de Waldheim 

 gave the world his great " Orthoptera Rossica," illustrated with many 

 beautiful plates — one of the first and most successful attempts to 

 elucidate the Orthoptera-Fauna of Europe. A few years later the 

 Government of Holland published de Haan's account of the Orthop- 

 tera of the Dutch possessions, figuring and describing many new 

 species. 



Another ten years, and Fieber gave us his " Synopsis of European 

 Orthoptera," erecting many new genera — well founded, it is true, but 

 too briefly characterised. In the same year Fischer of Fribourg 

 brought out his "Orthoptera Europa." This book, like Magna 

 Charta, may be said to close one epoch and open another. With it 

 the modern literature of Orthoptera may fairly be said to commence. 

 Shortly afterwards there appeared on the scene authors who are still 

 living and producing valuable works from time to time. In the follow- 

 ing decade de Saussure began his series of volumes with the title 

 " Melanges Orthopterologiques," in six parts, exhaustively treating the 

 Blattodea, Mantodea, and, above all, the Gryllodea ; in fact, his mono- 

 graph of the Gryllodea then published has not yet been superseded. 

 Brunner von Wattenwyl, too, appeared on the scene with descriptions 

 of many new European Decticidse and other papers which preceded his 

 " Nouveau Systeme des Blattaires." This is the first of a series of 



