ORTHOPTERA. 161 
@RTHOPTERA. 
Note on the Geographical Distribution of the Eumastacidae. 
By MALCOLM BURR, F.Z.S., F.E.S. 
Having recently had occasion to study in some detail the insects of 
this family, I have been much struck with their geographical distri- 
bution, and a few notes on this point may be of interest. 
The Ewnastacidae are a family of the Acridiodea, well marked, it is 
true, but showing affinities with the Proscopidae and neuen idae, 
both exceedingly restricted in distribution, and presenting certain 
analogies with the Tettiyidac. They are all very peculiar in form, and 
afford some very striking examples of mimicry and adaptation to their 
surroundings. About a hundred species are known to science, but 
none are very common ; new species are continually coming to hand, 
in fact, about two years ago scarcely more than thirty species had 
been described ; they do not appear to be common anywhere, and are 
rare in collections. With a few exceptions they are confined to the 
tropics. Roughly speaking, from a geographical point of view, they 
fall into three groups, the Oriental, the Ethiopian, and Neotropical. 
We will now consider them more in detail. 
The first group, Choroetypt, contains several genera in which the 
pronotum is greatly compressed and elevated, recalling certain Tetti- 
gidae and Membracidae. They were at first considered to be essentially 
Oriental, but recent discoveries have brought to light a number of 
African ‘forms. The genus Choroetypus, Serv., is found in India, 
Borneo, and Java. Phyllochoreia appears to be confined to the Mala- 
bar coast and to Ceylon. Scirtotypus, Br., is more widely spread ; 
three species are known, occurring respectively in Borneo, west Africa, 
and Ceylon. The two species of ¢ Irchetypus are confined to Ceylon. 
The genus Playiotriptus, which is close to Chorvetypus, is exclusively 
African, but one small species is found in Sokotra, which appears to 
be a stepping stone to the Oriental region ; an intermediate monotypic 
genus, Phaulotypus granti, Burr, seems to be peculiar to that island. 
Thus it will be seen that, with a few exceptions, the Chorvetypi are an 
Oriental group. 
The next group, the Mrianthi, are also Oriental, but their distribu- 
tion just reaches the confines of the Australian region. Hrianthus is 
widely spread throughout the Oriental region, Hupatrides in Borneo, 
Bennia in south China, while Adrapetes is found in New Guinea. This, 
therefore, is also an Oriental group. 
The Gomphomastaces comprise one anomalous genus ; four species 
are known, of which two occur in the Punjab and in Kashmir, while 
two others are found in central Asia, within the usually accepted 
limits of the Palearctic region. In their form as well as in their dis- 
tribution, they are exceptional among the Hwnastacidae. 
The Hructi again are essentially Oriental ; /yrucius contains several 
species found in Sumatra, Borneo, the Philipines, and Java; Mnesicles 
has the same distribution, and JMJastacides consists of two small 
apterous forms, occurring in southern India. China is a monotypic 
form occurring in southern China. 
The above mentioned groups, then, may be regarded as charac- 
teristic of the Oriental region, although certain forms slightly overstep 
the limits. 
