ORTHOPTERA. 129 
of Xiphidium dorsale, on the Essex coast, not far from Clacton-on-Sea, 
one hot day last August. My elder son and I were together at the 
time, looking out principally for Sympetrum flaveolum, of which he took 
one female. The Xiphidiwn presented a very strange appearance on 
the wing, and on netting it I found it was something quite new to 
me; and not being aware that X. dorsale was only known as a 
micropterous insect, I thought it was probably a fully developed form 
of that species, its very long antenne and general appearance pointing 
to that conclusion. Having boxed it, after showing it to my son, we 
were moving on, when we disturbed another. This was also captured, 
but as its antenne proved defective, we turned it down again, and 
somewhat to our disappointment, could meet with no more. I have 
frequently seen Xiphidiwmn dorsale in the locality, but had not previously 
found a macropterous specimen.—W. H. Harwoop, Brooklyn Villas, 
Station Road, Colchester. March 28rd, 1900. 
XIPHIDIUM DORSALE, Larr., var.?—Mr. W. H. Harwood has kindly 
submitted to me for identification a curious specimen of NXiphidium, 
captured near Clacton-on-Sea, in August, 1899. At first glance it 
might be taken for XY. fuscwm, Fab., but a closer examination shows 
that it is not that species, but apparently a macropterous form of X. 
dorsale, Latr. This is a species which is normally micropterous, that 
is to say, the organs of flight are abbreviated, though developed. They 
are incapable of flight, and the wings abortive, but the elytra are large 
enough for purposes of stridulation. In the @ they are about half the 
leneth of the undistended abdomen, and reach about half the 
leneth of the posterior femora when these limbs are stretched out 
backwards; in the g the elytra are somewhat longer, usually almost 
reaching the apex of the abdomen. But in this specimen both elytra 
and wings are amply developed, and are capable of bearing the insect 
upon the wing. The specimen before me is set with the wings 
expanded, but when closed they would certainly reach well beyond the 
posterior femora, if these were extended backwards. The length of the 
elytra is given by Brunner as 6°5mm.-8mm., but in this specimen they 
are 18°5mm.; Brunner does not give the length of the wings, which 
are normally abortive, but in this specimen they are 19°5mm. In 
development of the wings and elytra this example closely resembles 
X. fuscum, Fabr., and X. thoracicum, Fisch. de W., but it may be 
distinguished by characters which will be given below. It agrees 
entirely in structure with X. dorsale, except in that the elytra and 
wings are fully developed, and in the form of the supra-anal plate of 
the male. In_X. dorsale this is suleate in the centre, shghtly depressed 
and bituberculate on the hinder margin; in this specimen, the supra- 
anal plate is flat, not depressed, and bituberculate, but not sulcate. 
This is an important character, and may possibly prove to be sufficient 
for the basis of the erection of a new species. Without seeing the 
female, however, it would be rash and premature to offer a new name, 
as further characters, confirmatory or otherwise, may be found in the 
other sex. For the present, it must, therefore, be regarded as a 
macropterous form of Xiphidium dorsale, Latr. Iam not aware that 
this form has been before recorded, and it is certainly a rarity. Mr. 
Harwood’s statement, that a second specimen was seen, is interesting, 
as it shows that it may be a local permanent race, and that it deserves 
to be called a variety rather than an aberration. Macropterism in 
