150 NORTH AMERICAN MELANOPLI (ORTHOPTERA) 



side of the male supra-anal plate and the slenderness of the erect 

 projecting portions of the penis particularly distinguish saltator. 

 This insect occurs in central western Oregon from Mount Tabor 

 and Forest Grove south to Eugene and Alsea Mountain. It may 

 also extend into adjacent Washington but southward in Oregon 

 is supplanted by the races of ascensus. 



Melanoplus ascensus ascensus Scudder (PI. X, fig. 2.) 



1899. Melanoplus ascensus Scudder (in part), Proc. Davenport Acad. Nat. 



Sci., vn, p. 196, pi. 9, fig. 3. [ $ , 9 ; Mount Shasta, California. 3 ] 

 1930. Melanoplus validus pinicola Fulton, Ann. Ent. Soc. Amer., xxni, p. 



622, fig. lm. IS, 2; [west side of] Klamath Lake (type locality), 



Upper Klamath Marsh and Anna, Oregon.] 



From study of paratypes of ascensus and validus pinicola in 

 my collection it is evident that the latter is a synonym. Had 

 Fulton Californian material, the name would probably not have 

 been proposed. The differences shown are certainly insufficient 

 to warrant nominal recognition in a species subject to such an 

 unusual amount of both individual and local variation. The 

 color of the caudal tibiae may have been given some weight, 

 but this is clearly shown by series now available to have no 

 racial value. 



All of both sexes from the Sierras (except a male from Crater 

 Lake) and the Warner Mountains have the caudal tibiae deep 

 glaucous, but those from the lowlands to the east of the former, 

 a single male from Crater Lake and those from northwestern 

 California have the caudal tibiae coral red. From examination 

 of all the material of this species it is clear that the color of the 

 caudal tibiae has no value in distinguishing any of its races. 

 The same is true of the caudal femora, which in some series are 

 usually very strikingly marked with three pale areas on the ex- 

 ternal face, but in other series are almost immaculate, particu- 

 larly in the females. 



From saltator all of the races of ascensus may be separated 

 by the weaker and less sudden convexity distad on each side of 

 the male supra-anal plate. In ascensus ascensus the enlarged 



3 The male from Portland, Oregon, represents saltator. It is identical 

 with the type of saltator, described and figured from that locality by 

 Scudder in 1897. 



