10 
are, as a rule, provided with a more or less prominent median carina or 
ridge upon the pronotum, while in theAcridiinae this character is usually 
very obscure. 
THE AMERICAN LOCUST. 
(Schistocerca americana Drury.) 
The accompanying- illustration (Fig. 1) of a female specimen of this 
large, handsome insect will at once indicate to the reader Avhich one of all 
our locusts should bear the above name. The following description will 
facilitate the identification of the species : 
Female (large size). — Vertex between the eyes hexagonal, with a central depression; 
frontal costa solid and somewhat prominent above the ocellus, sides nearly parallel. 
Eyes elongate oval, rounded behind; straight in front. Pronotuni expanding at the 
posterior lobe ; median carina but slightly prominent; humeral angles subdistinct 
on the posterior lobe, obtusely rounded; anterior and middle lobes marked with 
minute shallow cells, each having a very minute tubercle in the center; posterior 
Fig. 1. — Schistocerca, americana — natural aize (after Riley). 
lobe densely punctured; posterior margin about right-angled; apex rounded. Teg- 
mina and wings passing the abdomen about one-third of their length. Posterior 
femora reaching the apex of tin- abdomen. Prosternal spine large, curved backward 
and hairy. 
Reddish-brown, with a slight vermilion tint. A yellow stripe extends from the 
vertex along the middle of the head and pronotum, and also upon the suture of the 
closed tegmina as far as the tip of the abdomen. A dark brown line down the 
cheeks below the eyes. On the sides of the pronotum is a yellow stripe extending 
from the submarginal to the last cross-incision, directed a little obliquely downward; 
below this is a brown stripe ; then a narrow yellow stripe directed obliquely upward ; 
lower margin yellow. The tegmina are opaque and reddish at the base, the rest. 
semi-transparent; a narrow white stripe on the lower margin, next the base; the 
disk and apical half marked with large cellular, fuscous spots. Wings transparent; 
the nerves at the base and inner portion yellowish-white, on the outer portions 
black. Legs, bright \ermilion red. Posterior femora have a row of black dots 
along the upper and lower margins of the disk and one through the middle; spines 
of posterior tibiae yellow, tipped with black. Each segment of the abdomen has a 
ring of dusky dots on its posterior margin. 
Male. — The male differs from the female in being much smaller. It has the sub- 
anal plate prolonged and deeply notched at the apex ; the cerci are very broad, 
straight, and truncate at the apex. 
Length of body — male, 1.7 inches; female, 2.1 inches; tegmina in both sexes same 
as body. 
