ORTHOPTERA— ACRIDIDAE— INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. 851 



MANTIS (?). 



This specimen is very much mutilated ; the greater portion of the abdo- 

 men is wanting. It is possible that it is but the pupa of the previous spe- 

 cies, to which it is evidently closely allied. 



PHASMIDAE. 



Two specimens of this family are contained in the collection, and, 

 although not in a condition to be specifically determined, yet it is evident 

 that they are quite distinct. 



ACRIDIDAE. 



INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. 



Most of the specimens collected belong to this family, and are the most 

 interesting on account of the new forms brought to light. I find in the col- 

 lection no representatives of the group Tryxalini, as this group is limited in 

 my Synopsis, nor have I seen any representative of it west of the Rocky 

 Mountain range, except two or three larvae of what I supposed to be a species 

 of Opomcda. So far as the number of species is concerned, the CEdipodce 

 appear to be more abundant than the Acridii. 



As Stal's "Recensio Orthopteronim", heretofore mentioned, relates wholly 

 to this family, I have concluded to introduce what I have to say in regard 

 to it at this point. And first I may state that I am as yet unable to ascer- 

 tain positively which has priority in date of publication, the u Rece>isio" or 

 my Synopsis. The title page of the former bears date 1873, which is also 

 the date of the latter. The author quotes his own paper published in Ofv. 

 Kongl. Vet. Ahad.-Forhandl, No. 4, 1873. By reference to this paper, 

 which, with the "Reeensio" has been kindly communicated to me by the 

 author, I find that it was presented April 16, 1873. As it is probable it was 

 not published for a month or so after it was presented, I infer that the 

 "Recensio", in which it is quoted, did not make its aj^pearance until in the 

 latter part of the year. My Syiiojisis was actually published (distributed) 

 about the first of October, 1873. It is therefore a matter of doubt as to 

 which has precedence in date of publication; and until this is settled by 

 ascertaining the exact date of the publication of the "Recensio", I shall retain 



