March, 1890.] 61 



iv.— XIPHIDIUM, Serv. 



This genus belongs to the sub-family ConocepTialidce. lu common 

 with all the other genera, except Leptopliyes and Phaneroptera, the 1st 

 and 2nd joints of the tarsi are sulcate at the side. It is separated 

 from Meconema by having the foramina on the anterior tibiae cleft- 

 shaped instead of open, and this character it shares with all the 

 succeeding genera ; whilst from these latter it is distinguished by the 

 smooth anterior tibiae {i. e., not sulcate at the side), which have no 

 apical spines on their upper aspect. 



1, — XiPHiDiUM DORSALE, Latr. 

 Locusta dorsalis, Latreille, Hist. Nat. Crust, et Ins., xii, p. 133. 

 Xipliidion dorsale, Steph., Mandib., vi, p. 14. 



Xipliidium dorsale, Fischer, Orth. Eur., p. 248, tab. xiv, figs. 4a — 4J ; 

 Brunner, Prod, der Eur. Orth., p. 302. 



Of a general pale emerald-green colour, with the dorsum reddish-fuscous. Head 

 ■with the vertex compressed anteriorly, produced between the antennae, divided from 

 the edge of the frons by a furrow. Antennae very long ; frons sloping well back- 

 wards. Pronotum with the side lobes not forming any angle with the disc, but 

 roundly inserted, side lobes somewhat triangular with an oval inflated space within 

 the posterior border. Prosternum with two spines. Elytra subhyaline, with reddish- 

 fuscous veins, narrow, rounded at the apex, shorter than the abdomen. Wings 

 abbreviated. Anterior coxse with a long curved spine. Anterior femora short ; 

 posterior femora thickened towards the base, very slender in their posterior half, 

 without spines below. Anterior tibiae with the foramina almost concealed, with no 

 spines above, and six in either margin below ; posterior tibiae long, slender, with an 

 apical spine on either side above, and with four apical spines below. Anal segment 

 ( c^ ) broad, horizontally produced, sulcate, bidentate in the posterior margin, con- 

 cealing the triangular supra-anal plate. Cerci in ^ conical, pointed, rough, with an 

 internal tooth, decurved at the apex. Ovipositor not longer than the abdomen, 

 gently incurved, faintly crenulate towards the apex. 



Length of the body, 12 — 15 mm. 

 „ „ ovipositor, 9 mm. 



This species occurs all over Europe, from North Germany to 

 Sicily. It inhabits moist localities, and should be sought along the 

 banks of rivers and in marshy places. In August, 1886, Mr. E. 

 Saunders took it not far from Heme Bay, and Mr. Porritt has taken 

 it at Deal. Sweeping will probably be the best method to adopt. 



Another species of this genus X.fuscum, Fabr., has found its 

 way into the older publications on British Orthoptera, probably through. 

 an error of Curtis', who seems, as Stephens {op. cit., p. 14) suggests, 

 to have mistaken X. dorsale, Latr., for it. 



