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Psyche 8:111-113, 1897.
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PSYCHE.
NOTES ON NEW ENGLAND ACRTD1DA.E.-111. OEDIPODINAE--VII. BY ALBERT P. MORSE, WELLESLEY, MASS.
Psinidia StLl 1873. Recensio
Orthopterorum, i, I I 7, 133.
28. Psinidia fenestralis Serv.
Fig. 28.
Oedipoda fewestraiis. Serville,-
Hist. nat. d. Ins., Orth., 726, (1839),
Thomas, I 18.
Locusts eucerata. Harris, 180.
Oeditoda eucerata. Scudder, 472 ;
Smith,- Conn., 373 ; Thomas I 19.
Pshzidia fenestralis. Saussure,
i6r ; Morse, 105 ; Beutenmiiller, 303.
Psinidia fenistralis. Fernald, 44.
Antenna: 3, 10.7-12.3; ?, 10-12.
H. fern.: 8, 9-11.7; 9, 11-13.5-
Teg. : 8, 15.5-20; 9, 17-5-24.
Body :
8, I 5-17.5 ; 9 , 19-25. Total
length : 8 , 20-24 ; ? , 23-30 mm.
Though presenting some resemblance
to the species of Spharagemon and
Scirtetica and frequently found in the
same locality this locust is readily dis- tinguished from them by the strongly
constricted pronoturn, the form of the
antennae, and the venation of the teg-
mina, as noted in the Key.
The antennae are unlike those of any
other species of the subfamily in the
depressed, prismatic form of the joints, appearing almost ensiform next the base. Another peculiarity noticeable is that
on the distal third of the tegmina the
maculation is restricted to the costal
half.
In general coloration this species
varies widely, according to environ-
ment, from pale dust-color to bright
reddish brown or even black. The
most interesting feature connected with
its coloration, however, is the variation in the color of the wings. As noted
before, these may vary in specimens
from the same spot from dull white
through yellow and orange to vermilion
red. This is 110 doubt due in part to
age, but seems also to depend upon
other conditions, partly, it is probable, upon humidity as suggested by Prof.
Bruner, but principally, I believe, upon temperature.
Nearly one-half of my specimens
taken on the sea-beach at stamford, in
the warmest corner of Connecticut, are
red-winged. At West Chop, M. V.,
and Provincctown, Mass., in the same
situation, all are yellow-winged. At
Wellesley, Sherborn, and Dedham,
Mass., several miles inland, red-winged
examples are comparatively scarce.
At No- Conway, N. H., all are yellow-
winged. Mr. Henshaw informs me that
many of his specimens from Nantucket
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112 PSYCHE. [~epternbsr 189.
are red-winged. While much collect-
ing needs tobe done before one can feel
certain, I believe that it will be found that the red-winged for m is most corn-
mon in the warmest paits of New
England.
This is a common and widely distrib-
uted species, occurring nearly every-
where on sandy spots in southern New
England, and probably throughout the
entire district. On the seashore it is
sometimes associated with T. mar&
tima. It is usually plentiful where it
occurs, though often very local in con-
sequence of its habitat. When dis-
turbed it flies for but a -short distance, often only a few feet, the male produc-
ing a very slight, scarcely noticeable,
crepitation.
I have taken it on various dates from
July 17 to Oct. 7 at Fryeburg, Me. ;
No. Conway, N. H. ; Provincetown,
Revere, Sherborn, and Wellesley,
Mass. ; Watch Hill, R. I. ; Canaan,
Montville, Niantic, Stamford, and
Thompson, Ct. ; and offshore on
Martha's Vineyard, Penikese, and
Cuttyhunk Ids. Mr. Henshaw has
found it common on Nantucket in late
Sept., and it has been taken at Nor-
way, Me., by Smith (M. C. 2.).
20. TRIMEROTROPIS Stil.
Trimerotropis Stil 1873. Recensio
Orthopterorum, i, 118.
29. Trimerotropis maritima Harr.
Fig. 29.
Locusta maritima. Harris, Report,
143 (1841) ; Treatise, 3rd ed., 178.
Oedifoda maritha. Scudder, 472 ;
Smith, Conn., 373 ; Thomas, 124.
Trimerotrofis maritima. Stal, loc.
cit., 134; Saussure, 172; Fernald, 45 ;
Morse, 105 ; Beutenmiiller, 299.
Measurements. Antenna : 3, I 1-13 ;
9, 11.5-14. Hind fern. : f, 11.5-
14.5; 9 , 14.5-16.8. Teg. : f , 23-27;
9, 29-35, Body: 3, 20-25 ; 2,
28-35, Total length: 3, 28.5-33 ;
? , 36-43 mm.
An easily recognized species, not
likely to be mistaken for any other
occurring with us. The sides of the
pronotum vary considerably in the
degree of prominence of the angulation,
sometimes being almost rounded, some-
times with a distinct, tooth-like projec- tion. In color it varies with the soil of the locality, the ground-color ranging
from white to light brown, more or less
sprinkled with dusky blotches ; these
are sometimes nearly obsolete, and
again nearly confluent on the head, pro- noturn, and base of tegmina. Specimens
from North Haven, Ct., show numer-
ous bright rufous fleckings, agreeing
with the reddish color of the soil at that place. This variation in color is often
marked even in a small area, as I
noticed at Block Id. where a portion of
the beach is much darker than the rest,
and the locusts frequenting that part
agreed with it in tint.
This is a common species along the
sandy sea-beaches of southern New
England, but while common it is one
of the wariest and most difficult to cap- ture of all our locusts. Extremely shy,
it starts up before the pursuer is within
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September 1897.1 PS~CYAT. 113
reaching distance and flies rapidly for
many rods. Even when marked down
it is very difficult to see, owing to its close resemblance in color to the sand
on which it alights. I know of but one
locality where it is found away from
the sound of the surf, -this is at North Haven, Ct., where it occurs sparingly
on barren sandy wastes.
I have taken adult specimens on July
24,
and Mr. Henshaw found it plen-
tiful on Nantucket Id., on Sept. 22.
It is found on the shore of all the sea- board New England States. I have
seen specimens from West Beach, Me.
(5 nymphs, M. C. Z.) ; Hampton, N.
H. (Scudder) ; Salisbury Beach, Mass.
(A. L. Babcock) ; and have taken it
at Provincetown and West Chop, M.
V., Mass. ; Watch Hill and Block Id.,
R. I. ; Niantic, North Haven, and
Stamford, Ct.
Circotettix Scudcler 1876. Bulletin
Geol. & Geog. Surv. Ten'., ii, (ap-
pendix) 264.
30. Circotettix verruculatus Kirby.
Fig. 30.
Locusfa verruculata. Kirby, Fauna
bor. Amer., Insects, p. 250, (1837).
Locasta latipemis. Harris, I 79.
Oedipoda ve~ruczdata. Scudder,
471 ; Smith, Me., 151, - Conn., 372 ;
Thomas, I 15.
Circotettix verruczdatus. Saussure,
I 75 ; Fernald, 45 ; Morse, 10 5 ; Beuten- intiller, 302.
About 120 New England specimens
give measurements as follows : An-
tenna: f, 9-11.5; 9, 10-11.5; Hind
femora : 3, I 1-1 I. 5 ; 9 , 13-14. Teg- mina : 3, 20.5-25 (usually 23-24) ; 9 ,
24-28.'; (usually 27-28). Body : 3,
21-23 ; $ , 26-30. Total length : 3,
26.5-33 ; 2 , 30.5-37 mm.
This is an easily recognized species,
the only one likely to be confused with
it being Sfharagemon saxatile from
which it may be distinguishecl by the
narrow wing-band, enlarged radial
veins, pale hind tibiae, and distinctly
two-notched pronotal carina. In color
it varies from a dark gray or brown to
black sprinkled with ashy, darkest on
the head and pronotuin, palest on base
of hind thighs, and with the teginina
indistinctly trifasciate. Occasionally
specimens occur light yellowish-brown
or ashy in color but as a rule the spe-
cies is Llie darkest colored of all our
locusts.
It is found plentifully in northern and
western New England, its favorite
haunts being bare ledges on elevated
land and low mountains. On these it
delights to bask in the sunshine, crawl- ing about over the lichen-covered and
weatherbeaten rocks with whose tints
its coloring harmonizes, or to hover in
the air above them, sharply striclulating. Its '- song" in flight is the loudest pro- duced by any of our locusts, and con-
sists of a series of separate notes, clicks, or snaps, not a rattle, and is readily
distinguished by this peculiar snapping
quality. It is one of the wariest of our locusts, being especially shy and difficult
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114 PS?-CHE. [September 1897.
to approach during the warmer part of
the day, when it often flies away to a
distance of several rods and circles
about, returning to the place whence
it started, or dances up and down in the air, snapping loudly. The 9 sometimes
makes a soft flutter or shufllc of wings in flight, probably corresponding to the snapping of the f , and both sexes can
fly silently at will. I have seen the f
stridulate when at rest, also, by rubbing the hind thighs against the tegmina,
producing a "scritching " sound audible
at a distance of three or four feet.
The
intercalary vein is toothed, in a low but continuous series, for its entire length in the 8, and on the distal half or more in the. 9 , in which the teeth are lower and barely pcrccptiblc.
It begins to appear in the winged
state about July 15, on which date 1
have taken it in northern Vermont,
and itmay be found during the rest
of the season. Henshaw has taken it
at Bar Harbor, Me. I have specimens
from the following localities : Deering, Portland, Norway, and Speckled Mt.,
Stonehain, Me. ; Keene (Prof. Weed),
NO. Conway, Pinlcham Notch, Mts.
Pequawket and Washington, N. H. ;
Jay, Vt. ; Greylock Mt., Adams, and
Palmer, Mass.; and Canaan, Ct.
Harris described it under the name of
latipemis, and there are two specimens
in M. C. Z. labeled Cambridge, indi-
cating that it may be found in the
vicinity of Boston, though I have yet
to meet with it there personally.
NOTES ON THE GENUS DELTOCEPHALUS.
BY CARL F. BAKER, ALA. POLYTECHNIC INST., AUBURN, ALA. The following notes are called forth
by Prof. Osborn's late "Review of the
Genus Deltoceplialus" in Proc. Iowa
Acad. Sci., more especially by the
changes he has proposed in connection
with the species described in the Prelim. List Hen-lip. Colo. The new species in
the latter work were so described on
my own authority and the true type
specimens are in my collection. Hence
I may be supposed to know why they
were called " new."
Prof. Osborn's generalizations on the
genus Beltoce@aZns seem to me at
least very premature, especially in
consideration of the fact that less than a third of the American species occur-
ring in collections were known to him
at the time hi's paper was written. It
seems questionable from a study of all
the species if the genus can be naturally separated into groups along the lines he has indicated. Likewise, the excluding
from the genus of siwplex, coqzdletii
concentricus, hculatus and flavo-
virens seems to me decidedly premature.
His reconstruction of the genus, based
upon a study of but a small proportion
of our species, cannot but prove unten-
able. The genus, as it occurs in
Europe, so far as our present knowledge
goes, is a faiily hornog'cneo~~s group.
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