310 REPORT UNITED STATES ENTOMOLOGICAL COMMISSION. 
deep fissure seems to separate the episternal from the epimeral area, 
and the epimerum rests above the trochantine, being minute, rudiment- 
ary, and triangular in outline. The coxa is very large, broad, enor- 
mous compared with other Ortlioptera; it is much flattened. The tro- 
chantino is long and narrow, the suture being on a thin, prominent 
ridge. 
Metapleurum. (PI. XXXI.) Exactly repeats the mesopleurum in 
form, but is a little larger, and the cox® are somewhat larger. 
Owing to the much depressed, flattened body, which is correlated to 
the habit of living under the bark of trees and in cracks, the episterna 
are only seen from beneath, on each side of the sternum, and the epi- 
mera are reduced nearly to a minimum, while the cox® are enormous, 
but still flattened, as the Blattari® are active runners rather than 
leapers. 
Sternum. 
The prosternum (PI. XXXI) is well developed, but one-half as broad as 
long, and submembrauous. 
The mesosternum (PI. XXXII) is about as broad as long, rounded 
behind, with a median angular depression. 
The metasternum (PI. XXXII) is broader than long, deeply cleft, with 
a median fold or gore. Owing to this deep, angular depression both the 
meso- and metasternites can be flexed together, thus allowing the sides 
of the body to approach each other somewhat. 
THE ABDOMEN. 
There are in the 9 eight abdominal tergites, the eighth tergite being 
deeply cleft, and seven urosternites. The cercopoda are short and 13-15- 
jointed. 
Note. — The close relation to Termes and the Termitid® in general, 
(a point in which, among other respects, Blatta connects the Ortlioptera 
and Pseudoneuroptera), is seen in the nearly identical form of the epi- 
sternal and epimeral regions ; the latter being dorsal and small, the 
episternal more developed and sternal in position. The sternal region 
is much the same in Blatta as in Termes, and judging by the form of 
the head, thorax and abdomen, these two genera might belong to even 
the same family. They seem certainly only one family removed, the 
principal differences being in the wings. If there were, so to speak, no 
other Orthoptera in existence, the Blattari® would certainly be associ- 
ated with the Pseudoneuroptera. Hence we have been almost led to 
think that it is an artificial classification which places them in separate 
orders. 
Mantidje. 
THE HEAD. 
Mantis Carolina. The position of the head is vertical; the front is 
broad, triangular. The orbits are very large and broad. The epicra- 
