40 ' PROCEEDINGS MANCHESTER INSTITUTE 



With some exceptions, however, the paths are not all straight 

 to the would-be explorer, as he often loses himself in the tangle 

 and confusion of, shall I say, a too diversified nomenclature. 



S. H. Scudder, in his most admirable work on " Revision of 

 Melanopli," gives a striking though perhaps exaggerated illustra- 

 tion of this in Melanoplus femur-rubrum, our common red-legged 

 locust. This insect has appeared under the following names, ap- 

 plied to it by various authorities :■ 



Acridium femur-rubrum, 



De Geer, 



1773 



Gryllus (Locusta) femur-rubrum, 



Goeze, 



1778 



Gryllus ( Locusta ) erythropus, 



Gmelin, 



1788 



Acridium femorale, 



Olivier, 



1 791 



Gryllus erythropus, 



Turton, 



1806 



Caloptenus femur-rubrum, 



Burmeister, 



1838 



Acridium (Caloptenus) femur-rubrum. 



De Haan, 



1842 



Pezotettix ( Melanoplus ) femur-rubrum, 



Stal, 



1873 



Melanoplus femur-rubrum. 



Scudder, 



1874 



Caloptenus devorator, 



Scudder, 



1875 



Caloptenus sanguinolentus, 



Provancher, 



1876 



Caloptenus atlanis. 



Provancher, 



1877 



Pezottetix femur-rubrum. 



Stal 



1878 



Melanoplus interior, 



Scudder, 



1879 



Melanoplus devorator. 



Scudder, 



1879 



Caloptenus (Melanoplus) femur-rubrum, 



Cauldfield, 



1887 



This observation is made with due respect and sympathy for 

 those who have striven to overcome the difficulty. 



If we choose to include the Forficulidae, about which there has 

 been much difference of opinion, six of the seven families of 

 Orthoptera are represented within our limits, the Blattidae and 

 saltatorial divisions being greatly in excess, the former having, 

 doubtless, been protected by their secluded habits, the latter by 

 their increased power of locomotion, and in many instances by 

 protective coloring. 



As two abundant species of like habits and food requirements 

 cannot long coexist in any small area — the stronger being destin- 

 ed to survive, the other to perish — so, probably, many former 

 species have disappeared from our midst, and the number is small 

 compared with the distribution over the country as a whole. 



On the other hand we may not be surprised to find new arriv- 



