ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF ONTARIO. 



41 



the body is traversed by one large vein with its branches, the Vena Badialis, (Figs. 27-28). 

 This vein sends out a large number of branches towards the outer border of the wing 

 but none towards the inner. In the case of much shortened wing covers this vein is very 

 much stunted and often only the branches are visible. The edge formed between the 

 vertical and horizontal portions of the wing cover is composed mainly of the Vena Ulnaris 

 Anterior ; the other branch V. Ulnaris Posterior (Fig. 27), which is easily seen in the 

 female is hard to detect in the male. The Vena Dividens is a well defined vein running 

 along the outer border of the horizontal portion of the wing cover and anastomosing with 

 the branches of the Vena Plicata which traverses the horizontal field (figs. 27-30). 



The Vena Plicata in the female runs directly backwards giving out four to six 

 branches which anastomose with one another forming a net work (Fig. 27). In the male 

 the Vena Plicata runs directly, then bends at the first quarter of its length at a right 

 angle toward the inner border where it forms the Anal Node, (Figs. 28-30). The part 

 from the bend to the Node is the stridulating instrument. From the Node the vein con- 

 tinues in an oblique direction again to the outer border where it unites with the V. 

 Dividens to form a knot — the stigma. In this way the V. Plicata bounds a triangular 

 harp-shaped area in which several (0 to 5) undulating cross veins run — oblique veins. 

 On the outside of the oblique part of the V. Plicata there is a confusion of veins which 

 partly come from the Anal Node and partly from the V. Plicata so that in the last third 

 of the wing there is a roundish area, the Tympanum or Mirror sometimes crossed by one 

 or two cross veins. Behind the mirror lies a network of veins. 



Gryllus, 



Scudder in his materials for a Monograph of the N. A. Orthoptera enumerates six 

 species, namely : luctuosus, abbreviatus, angustus t neglectus, niger and Pennsylvanicus. 

 Following Scudder's descriptive remarks I have compiled the following synoptic table : 



Species. 



Color of Elytra. 



Length of Elytra. 



Length of 

 Ovipositor. 



Hind 

 Femora. 









in. 

 .70 



.74 



.64 



.56 

 .45 

 .45 



in. 



45 



3. Angustus . 



dark, bordered with light 

 brown. 



like No. 2 but mo 



re slender 



.44 

 .38 



longer than negiectus . . . 

 lectus 



.40 

 .44 





like neg 









It will be apparent that the distinctions are based chiefly on the length of the- 

 ovipositor of the female which I found to be extremely variable. Moreover no method 

 of identifying the males has been given. As far as the color is concerned it is of no 

 value as a guide to species since it, too, is very variable. Saussure admits (Melanges 

 Orthop. p. 317) that the species seem to grade into each other, and "it is impossible to 

 define the limits of each. The accidental shortening of the wings already sufficiently 

 embarrassing in itself seems often to become complicated with a shortening of the 

 ovipositor. The color is very variable and it is impossible to settle on any character with 

 certainty which can separate the species." The length of the ovipositor is made the chief 

 character in distinguishing the two species of Saussure and Beutenmiiller. I find in my 

 collection all lengths from 10 to 21 mm., so here it is impossible to draw a limit. 



Saussure gives the names abbreviatus and luctuosus. Under the former he places the 

 varieties neglectus and Scudderianus, and under the latter he places the variety Pennsyl- 



