4 Introduction 
quently nearly as broad as long. The venation is quite variable. There is 
a tendency toward a great reduction in the number of branches of radius 
and a corresponding increase in the number of branches of media and 
cubitus. The hind wings are sometimes about as large as the tegmina and 
sometimes greatly reduced, with simple venation. In a few genera the 
cubital and claval areas are greatly reduced or wanting, and the jugum is 
enlarged and corrugated and used as a stridulating organ. 
The abdomen is usually small. The female genitalia are complete. In the 
male genitalia the pygofer is reduced, the tenth segment is usually slender 
and elongate, and the genital plates are usually very large and laminate. 
CLASSIFICATION ADOPTED 
The classification adopted in the present catalogue is a modification of the 
one proposed by Muir in 1918 as modified in 1930. 
Family DerBIDAE 
Subfamily ZORAIDINAE 
Tribe ZORAIDINI 
Tribe SlKAIANINI 
Subfamily DERBINAE 
Tribe DeRBINI 
Tribe RHOTANINI 
Tribe CENCHREINI 
Tribe Otiocerini 
HISTORICAL RESUME 
This family was not recognized by the earliest European systematic en- 
tomologists. But Fabricius recognized the group by describing the genus 
Derbe in 1803, although the group was not given higher rank until 1839, 
when Spinola recognized it as a subfamily. The systematic entomologists of 
the first half of the nineteenth century described the more common forms. 
Notable contributions to the taxonomy of the family were made by Bur- 
meister, Amyot and Serville, Guerin-Meneville, Kirby, Spinola, and West- 
wood. During the last half of the nineteenth century and the first part of 
the twentieth century Stal worked on collections from various parts of the 
world and established the modern classification of this family. Other con- 
spicuous European workers during this period were Melichar, and Walker 
and Distant, who worked over the rich collections in the British Museum. 
In the United States Fitch, Uhler, Van Duzee, and Osborn were active 
during this same period. Since 1900 many notable contributions have been 
made by Muir and Kirkaldy, especially on the Pacific faunas; by Ball, 
