ORTHOPTERA OF NOVA SCOTIA. — PIERS. 253 



aa. Larger; pronotum not exlending over abdomen: wing-covera usually well 

 developed, but sometimes abbreviated or even wanting. 

 b. No spine on prosternum between front legs. 



c. Face usually very oblique; medium carina of pronotum never 



raised as a crest, or cut by more than one notch 



(Oblique-faced Spineless Locusts) Acridin^. p. 263. 



CO. Face nearly or quite vertical; median carina of pronotum 



usually raised as a crest and usually cut by more than one notch. 



(Vertical-faced Spineless Locusts) CEdipgdin^, p. 273. 



bb. A prominent conical spine on prosternum between front legs 



(Spine-breasted Locusts) Locustin^. p. . 



Subfamily Acrydiinae* (Grouse Locusts). 

 {Tettigince of former writers.) 

 The members af this subfamily are our smallest Acridians, 

 and are easily recognized by the pronotum which extends 

 to or beyond the end of the abdomen. Most, if not all, of 

 the species are dimorphic as regards length of pronotum 

 and hind wings. Wings are usually developed; but the 

 wing-covers are rudimentary (small lobes near base of wings), 

 what looks like them being an unusual development of 

 pronotum. Alales are usually narrower than females. Indi- 

 viduals of a species vary much in colour and markings, which 

 must not be taken as diagnostic. Grouse Locusts are remark- 

 able as being the only members of the Acrididm which normally 

 pass the winter as adults, hibernating under rubbish, loose 

 bark, fence-rails, etc., and are therefore the first Orthoptera 

 to appear in the spring, being seen on sunny hillsides in Nova 

 Scotia as early as the middle of April. The eggs are laid 

 in ground early in the season, and hatch in about three weeks 

 and the young usually reach maturity by autumn. They 

 are very inconspicuous insects, as their colour harmonizes 

 with the surroundings. Dry sunny hillsides or boggy places 

 along lakes and streams are favourite habitats. Their food 

 consists of vegetable mould, tender sprouting grass, and 



*The applicatiun of such very sitnilar names as Acrydiince and Acridince to two sub- 

 families of the family Acrididae, which have lately been known as the Tettigince and Tryxalinm, 

 s a most confusing contretemps, but as .'. A. G. Hehn says, there is apparently no escape 

 from this unhanpy situation. Acrydium (GeofTr., 17f)2) is a far older name for the genus 

 which has usually l^een called THrix (Latreille, 1802) or Tellii (Charpentier, IS41), and Acrida 

 (Linn., 1758) is the oldest known genus of the group that has been termed TruxalincB or Tryxa- 

 Urue (Genus Truxalis, Fabricius, 1775). 



