148 NORTH AMERICAN MELANOPLI (ORTHOPTERA) 



" Series " and a different specific name being proposed for 

 each " Group " wherever confusion might otherwise occur. 



Unless otherwise noted, the material here recorded is in the 

 author's collection. 



PART X. THE SALTATOR GROUP OF THE GENUS 

 MELANOPLUS 



So variable are the forms of this group that much confusion 

 in recognizing the valid species and races has occurred. Al- 

 though still undescribed species and races may exist, I do not 

 feel that any can safely be described at the present time. The 

 present study is therefore not intended to be as complete as 

 those on other groups of the genus and is undertaken only be- 

 cause it is imperative to correct the numerous errors which 

 have occurred and to give all information available which can 

 help to avoid further mistakes. As a result I am here listing 

 only localities and number of specimens, leaving the date, ele- 

 vation, collector, environmental data and key to be given later 

 in a more finished study at a time when sufficient additional 

 material has been secured to solve several situations which at 

 present are very baffling. 



Additional material is particularly needed from southwestern 

 Washington, the Cascades in that State and in Oregon and 

 from the valleys toward and in the western foothills of those 

 mountains. The few specimens before me from those regions 

 are variously atypic from the recognizable species and races 

 and their true significance can probably be determined only 

 after adequate series from a considerable number of localities 

 throughout that extensive territory have been studied. 



It is, however, possible at the present time to define the 

 limits of the valid species and races already described much 

 more satisfactorily than has hitherto been possible and to pub- 

 lish all of the existing synonymy. 



The features shown by the male supra-anal plate, cerci and 

 subgenital plate must be handled with particular care, differ- 

 ences which in most groups would warrant racial recognition 

 being here plainly attributable to local variation, occurring 

 more frequently than in almost any other group of the Mela- 

 nopli. 



