being usually some shade of red, orange, yellow, or even blue, and frequently 

 marked by a curved dark bar. The species are in general stouter than those of 

 the preceding group, mostly possessed of strong powers of flight or of leaping. 

 They are in large part lovers of dry, open places, such as rocks, sandy fields and 

 the like. This is the largest subfamily as represented in the United States 

 and its members may be found at almost any point. Relatively few species are 

 to be considered as serious pests, since most are found among "weeds," although 

 some, as the Clear Winged Locust, Camnula pellucida, are capable of doing 

 considerable damage to crops. 



The members of the fourth subfamily, the Acndnnae, are readily separated 

 from those of the other groups by the presence of a distinct conical or cylindrical 

 spine projecting from the front part of the sternum, usually from between the front 

 legs. This is the largest subfamily in point of species and of individuals and is 

 by far the most important when considered economically. To this subfamily 

 belonged the "Rocky Mountain Locust," now apparently extinct, and its numerous 

 relatives and the loss in the Agricultural returns due to these voracious pests even 

 now amounts annually to a sum sufficient to establish, equip and endow numerous 

 great universities. The largest single genus in the subfamily is Melanoplus, which, 

 although found only in North America, includes about 1 50 species. The com- 

 mon "Red-Legged Garden Locust," Melanoplus femur-rubrum, is a very common 

 and typical example of the group, and the species are so closely similar in many 

 cases as to present one of the most puzzling series in the whole order. The 

 subfamily is made up in large part of species fond of fields and open places 

 covered with low vegetation, although a few are arboreal or semi-arboreal in habit. 

 In none of our forms are the wings brightly colored or marked with contrasting 

 color areas. 



The Locustidae, or "Long-Horned Grasshoppers," are distinguished from the 

 foregoing family by the characters given in the key above, and in most cases the 

 long antennae, slender form' and generally green coloration will enable any one to 

 know them in the field. They are with few exceptions to be found either in 

 moist places or amid the rank vegetation of marshy places. Some, however, are 

 truly arboreal, some are to be found under rocks and like hiding places and some 

 in caves. An interesting and aberrant subgroup is what have been termed the 

 "Camel Crickets," brownish in color, wingless and having much more the general 

 appearance of the crickets. These are found under rocks or frequently in exca- 

 vations. 



The Gryllidae, or Crickets, may be distinguished by the three jointed feet and 

 the peculiarly folded wing covers, which are flattened dorsally and abruptly folded 

 down at the sides. The common crickets are too well known to need description ; 

 the smaller "Day Crickets," so abundant amid the dry grass and vegetation during 

 the bright days of summer, are also very familiar to those of us who frequent the 

 open country, but some of the other groups are practically unknown, even to those 

 who consider themselves "Nature Lovers." Among these more unnoticed groups 

 are the "Mole Crickets," whose peculiar, scissor-like front legs are fit tools for this 

 mole-like insect, burrowing underground to cut the roots that impede its progress. 

 Next comes the Myrmecophilas, or "Ant-Loving Crickets," small fry of but the 

 size of the ants among whom they dwell. These are the smallest of our Orthoptera 

 and are seldom noticed save by the specialist or the professional collector. Another 

 group of crickets of considerable economic importance is the "Tree Crickets," 

 rather slender, white or greenish in color, and found on trees and shrubs. Certain 



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