THE FAMILIES 20I 



instrument, and as agents for protecting some parts of the body- 

 in repose. Further particulars of these cases must be looked for 

 in our accounts of the different groups. 



The eggs of many Orthoptera are deposited in capsules or 

 cases ; these capsules may contain only one egg, or a great many. 



The Order includes many species of Insects, though in Britain 

 it is poorly represented : we have only about forty species, and 

 this small number includes some that are naturalised. Only a 

 few of the forty extend their range to Scotland. A revision' of 

 the species found in Britain has recently been made by Mr. 

 Eland Shaw.-' In continental Europe, especially in the south, 

 the species become more numerous ; about 500 are known as 

 inhabitants of geographical Europe. In countries where the face 

 of nature has been less transformed by the operations of man, 

 and especially in the tropical parts of the world, Orthoptera are 

 much more abundant. 



The lowest number at which the species now existiirg on the 

 surface of the earth can be estimated is 10,000. This, however, 

 is probably far under the mark, for the smaller and more obscure 

 species of Orthoptera have never been thoroughly collected in 

 any tropical continental region, while new forms of even the 

 largest size are still frequently discovered in the tropics. 



We shall treat the Order as composed of eight families : — 



Series, Cursoria . 

 hind legs but 

 little different 

 from the others. 



Series, Saltatoria : 

 hind legs elon- 

 gate, formed for 

 leaping, their 

 femora usually 

 thickened. 



1. Forficulidae — Tegniina short, wings complexly folded ; body 



armed at the extremity with strong forceps. 



2. Hemimeridae — Apterous : head exserted, constricted behind. 



3. Blattidae — Coxae of the legs large, exserted, protecting 



the lower part of the body. 



4. Mantidae — Front legs very large, raptorial, armed with spines. 



5. Phasmidae — Mesothorax large as compared with the pro- 



thorax. 



6. Acridiidae — Antennae short, not setaceous, of not more than 



30 joints, tarsi three-jointed. 



7. Locustidae — Antennae very long, setaceous, composed of a 



large number of joints, tarsi four-jointed. 



8. Gryllidae — Antennae very long, setaceous, tarsi two- or three- 



jointed. 



The first five of these subdivisions are amongst the most 

 distinct of any that exist in the Insecta, there being no con- 

 necting links between them. The three groups forming the 



1 Ent. Mo. Mag. xxv. 1889, and xxvi. 1890. 



