1883. | of Orthoptera and Neuroptera. 823 
as the type of a distinct order, in which it was originally placed 
by Leach, Kirby, Burmeister and Westwood. Its composite na- 
ture is seen both in the elytra and the hind wings, which antici- 
pate the Coleopterous type of wings. On the other hand the 
larve resemble Japyx, the Thysanuran, with its anal forceps, and 
in most respects Forficula is the lowest, most decided stem-form . 
of the Phyloptera. 
The Dermatoptera are characterized by the flatness of the body 
and the large terminal forceps. The head is flat, horizontal in 
position, while the presence of the V-shaped epicranial suture is 
a sign of inferiority, as it is characteristic of Thysanura and 
Platypteran larvæ as well as Coleopterous larvae, The remark- 
able thoracic structure, which is described farther on, as well as 
the curious overlapping of the abdominal tergites, forbid our 
uniting the Dermatoptera with the Orthoptera. The small, short 
elytra and the very large, rounded, longitudinally and once-cross- 
folded hind wings, which remind us rather of the Coleoptera than 
Orthoptera, are also important diagnostic features. Finally, the 
metamorphosis of the Dermatoptera is even less complete than 
that of the Orthoptera. 
The ligula is bifid, being divided into a pair of two-jointed 
paraglosse. The labium is thus similar to that of the Orthop- 
tera, though scarcely more like them than like Termes. 
Order 2, ORTHOPTERA. 
The head is more or less vertical in position; the front is very 
large, broad and long, the epicranial region very large and often 
hypertrophied. The clypeus is large and subdivided as in Pseu- 
doneuroptera. In the Orthoptera, as a rule, the deeply-cleft 
ligula is indistinctly four-lobed, the outer pair of paraglossz very 
Well developed, while the inner pair is minute or undeveloped, as 
in the Acrydii, especially Caloptenus; but in the Locustariz the 
ligula is four-lobed, and in the Gryllide decidedly so. In the 
Mantidz and Blattariz the ligula is plainly four-lobed, nearly as 
much so as in the Termitide. In the Phasmide the ligula is 
intermediate in form between the Mantidæ and Locustarie. 
The prothorax is usually remarkably large, particularly the 
notum. The meso- and metanotum exactly repeat each other, 
and the metanotum is usually (Acrydii and Locustariz) longer 
and larger than the mesonotum, the hind wings being almost 
uniformly much larger than the anterior pair. The pleurites are 
