356 NEW NOETH AMERICAN MELANOPLI (ORTHOPTERA) 



system of linear arrangement we strive to place the simplest 

 forms first in a genus, grading up to the type of highest special- 

 ization. 



The number of new species described in these preliminary 

 papers is apparently large, but, considering the great size of the 

 series now assembled for the study of the Melanopli, an even 

 greater number of undescribed forms might easily have been 

 expected. The number of species now appearing in the literature 

 as valid is far in excess of the number recognized by Scudder. 

 The series now before us, however, prove that very many re- 

 cognized species, particularly among those described by that 

 author, are mere synonyms. The completion of the studies of 

 the Melanopli, found in North America south to the Mexican 

 border, will consequently show that only a slightly greater num- 

 ber of known and valid species occur over this territory than were 

 supposed to occur by Scudder in 1897. 



The work of assembling sufficient material for a comprehen- 

 sive study has been progressing steadily and the expedition dur- 

 ing the summer of 1919, undertaken by Mr. Rehn and the author, 

 was particularly successful. We believe tha.t, for the region, 

 practically all the widely and generally distributed forms are 

 now known. In the western mountains, however, and parti- 

 ularly in the more isolated high areas, we are confident that in- 

 tensive search among the lesser known ranges will reveal the 

 presence there of numerous new species and geographic races. 



Under the new species and the new geographic race assigned 

 to the Gracilis Group of the genus Melanoplus, we have occasion 

 to criticise the recent work of Mr. Blatchley.* 5 We are compelled 

 to do this, as that author appears to be unable to differentiate 

 between the variation found in the genitalia of some more plastic 

 species and the differences shown in varied degree by the more 

 constant genitalic features of other less plastic, though often 

 closely allied, species. The most serious situation lies, however, 

 in that the author's apparent ignorance of what is meant by 

 contemporary biologists when treating an entity such as is termed 

 a geographic race. We are certain that the geographic race 

 must be recognized. We feel that the day is past when the 

 entomologist labelled and ticketed as species, without further 



5 Orthoptera of Northeastern America, pp. 1 to 784, (1920). 



