ORTHOPTERA OF NOVA SCOTIA.-- PI ERS. 307 



specimens with from two to a dozen minute, egg-shaped, 

 coral-red parasites about half of a millimeter in length, 

 beneath the base of the hind wings. These were doubtless 

 the Red Locust-mite, Tromhidium locusiarum of Riley. 



Near the mouth opening of insects are salivary glands 

 which In the A crididce usnaUy secrete a brown-coloured fluid, 

 which is also probably defensive in character as many 

 species when captured very readily exude it from the mouth- 

 This is particularly noticeable in the present species, and 

 country children have everywhere given the dark-coloured 

 secretion the name of "grasshopper molasses" and to the 

 insect itself they occasionally apply the name "molasses 

 bug". This species is often captured by Nova Scotian 

 children for the sole purpose of seeing it exude the fluid, 

 their invariable saying on such an occasion being, "Grass- 

 hopper, grasshopper, give me some molasses and I'll let you 

 go." It is also known to many children as a doughty fighter, 

 boys often amusing themselves by bringing two large speci- 

 mens together so that they wrestle vigorously with their 

 front legs and endeavour to bite each other. These gay- 

 coloure I locusts bring back childish memories of half-forgotten 

 summer days when we dallied waist-deep in the lush timothy 

 the air filled with what might be termed the "green" scent 

 of trampled grass; or of afternoons in early autumn when we 

 loafed about the rank vegetation of fence-rows with its 

 odour of dank decay.* 



*Tiie lollowing MelanopLi are more or less abundant in northern New England, and one 

 or two of them may be taken here: — 



AI elanopius mancus (Smith) occurs locally in elevated (2,000 to 3,o(X) ft.) localities in 

 Maine, New Hamp.. and Conn., etc.; but has not been taken in Canada Wing-covers shorter 

 than pronotum, and subovate. Male cerci slender, clasp-like, about four times as long as 

 middle breadth, the middle breadth less than half of extreme basal breadth. General colour 

 fuscous. Length, male 14-17 mm.; female, 18-2.5 mm. 



Ml lanoplus minor (Scudder) is common in New England north to Maine, and has 

 been taken in Ont. and Sask., and we should expect it here. Wing-covers reach the knee.': 

 Male cerci with apex expanded and somewhat forked, the lower branch of fork merely an 

 angle or median projection on the lower edge. General colour brownish, yellowish below; 

 black bar behind eye; hind femora brownish-yellow with indistinct darker bars, their lower 

 face generally orange. Length, male, 1.5-18 mm.; female, 19-24 mm. 



Melanoplun luri'tua (Dodge) =.U. collinut Scudder. BlatcbJey has shown that these 

 names are synonj-mous, or the later merely varietal. Scudder reported M. collinu-: as comm ,n 

 in New England north to Maine, and Walker found it in Ont. Win<;-covers reach, or slighil,- 

 surpass, the knees. Male cerci expanded at apex and very distinctly forked. In colour an.i 

 app)earanre it resembles \f. /'emur-ruhrum, but wing-covers are much shorter, and the forked 

 cerci distinguish it immediately. Length, male, 17-20 mm.; female, 20-27 mm. 



