282 NEW NORTH AMERICAN MELANOPLI (ORTHOPTERA) 



Coloration. — The males range in general coloration from ochraceous-buff, 

 with postocular band of buckthorn brown weakly indicated on prozonal por- 

 tion of pronotal lateral lobes, and flecks of the same color on the sides of the 

 abdomen proximad, to cinnamon brown with blackish postocular bar occupy- 

 ing the dorsal two-fifths of the prozonal portion of pronotal lateral lobes, and 

 sides of abdomen heavily marked with blackish latero-proximad. In the 

 darker examples the caudal femora have the dorso-iDternal surface showing 

 weakly two dark flecks, while the face, ventral three-fifths of pronotal lateral 

 lobes and ventral surface are ochraceous-buff, in striking contrast with the 

 dorsal surface. In intensive examples the ventral face of the caudal femora is 

 russet, shading to mars brown mesad; in recessive individuals ochraceous-buff 

 tinged with ochraceous-orange. The caudal tibiae are buffy, tinged with 

 glaucous. 



Females are similarly colored, the intensive condition being less often en- 

 countered. In this sex also, buffy examples are often washed with greenish, 

 this sometimes including the pronotal disk, but usually confined to the head, 

 lateral portions of pronotum and body and exposed surface of the caudal 

 femora. 



Specimens Examined: 49; 29 males, 20 females. 



California: Colfax. 



The series, in addition to the type and allotype, may be con- 

 sidered paratypes. These specimens were taken by Rehn and 

 Hebard on August 27 and 28, 1910, at Colfax, California, at 

 elevations from 2450 to 2800 feet. The series was found on hill- 

 sides, in open places overgrown with low plants and particularly 

 where much poison oak occurred, intermingled with a low sweet- 

 smelling bush. The hillsides were clothed generally with high 

 manzanita and other bushes, with a scattering growth of pines 

 and other trees. In the same environment M. lepidus Scudder 

 was found, both species generally scarce, but lepidus common 

 and the present species scarcer in one limited area only. 



Melanoplus hesperus new species (Plate XXX, figs. 5 and 6; plate XXXI, 

 fig. 3.) 



The present species belongs to the Marginatus Group and to 

 that section including the forms closely related to M. gracilipes 

 Scudder. 



Nearest relationship is with gracilipes (see plate XXX, fig. 4) ; 

 males of the present insect differ in the slightly more elongate 

 form, much more elongate furcula, more elongate supra-anal 

 plate, more elongate cerci, with inbent distal portion twice as long 



