876 ZOOLOGY— INSECTS. 



OEDIPODA, Latr. 



I would be glad if I could seize upon this opportunity to arrange 

 our North American species under the genera which Stal has very properly 

 carved out of this heterogeneous group, but am unable to do so, as my 

 specimens are placed in the Agricultural Department at Washington. I 

 can therefore only refer to such species as are contained in the collection 

 now under consideration and those mentioned by Stal in his work. 



OEDIPODA CAROLINA, Linn. 



Acrydmm carolinum, De Geer, Mem., 1773, 3, 491. 



Gryllus carolinus, Thunb., Mem. Acad. St. Pet., 1815, 5, 239. 



(Edipoda Carolina, Serv., Hist. Orthop., 1839, 722. 



This species, of which several specimens are in the collection, appears 

 to be Stal's type of the genus. This widespread species is found on the 

 plains of Nevada and Arizona without any marked variation from the east- 

 ern specimens. I may remark here, that during the past summer (1873) I 

 saw it more abundant on one spot in the northwest part of Washington City 

 than at any other spot in the limits of my observations. 



OEDIPODA HOFEMANII, sp. nov. 

 (Edipoda hoffmanii, (copied into Synopsis, 127). 



Very closely allied to GZ. trifasciata, and possibly it may be but a 

 variety of that species, yet there are some variations which appear to mark 

 it as distinct. The only specimen which has been preserved dry is so 

 badly damaged, that it is impossible to do more than indicate its characters ; 

 even the sex is unknown, as the apex of the abdomen has been broken off, 

 and the antennae and legs are wanting. 



The occiput ascending and the top of the head somewhat elevated, 

 more so than in CE. trifasciata; eyes ovate, large, prominent; vertex slightly 

 elongate and expanding slightly in front of the eyes; margins raised; a slight 

 median carina apparent ; frontal costa sulcate, very slightly contracted 

 below the ocellus ; lateral carina? arcuate, but not angled, extending to the 

 corners of the face. Pronotum as in (E. trifasciata, except that at each pos- 

 terior lateral angle there is a minute tooth pointing downward. Elytra of 

 usual length; when closed, they present an unusually flat surface on the 



