ART. XXI.-ON THE ORTHOPTERA COLLECTED BY DR. ELLIOTT COUES, U, S. A., IN DAKOTA AND MONTANA, DURING

1873-74.*

BY PROF. CYRUS THOMAS.

LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL.

CARBONDALE, ILL., October 18, 1875.

SIR: I transmit herewith a report on the collection of Orthoptera submitted to me for examination.

Although the collections are small, they are of considerable interest, as adding to our knowledge of the distribution of species, some of which find their northern limit in the region where your collections were made.

The more we study the habits of Caloptenus spretus, which is well represented in your collections, the more important does a thorough knowledge of the western limit of your line of operations become. Although the entire Rocky Mountain region may be said to constitute the native home of this locust, yet the region about the headwaters of the Missouri appears to form a fertile source of the swarms which sweep east and southeast upon the border States and the plains of Manitoba. As this is a subject of great importance, and one in regard to which our national government is no doubt anxious to gain all possible information, I have added a somewhat lengthy note in regard to its operation.

The list is comparatively small; but it should be remembered that Orthoptera rapidly decrease in species as we penetrate into these northern sections. Mr. Henry W. Elliot informed me that although he made a careful examination he was unable to find a single specimen in the section of Alaska in which he was stationed. Kirby's list, as you will see by examining the "Fauna Boreali-Americana", is quite meagre. I find no new species, at least none that I feel warranted in considering new, although varying considerably from the types of the species to which I have referred them. It is possible that the Gryllus which I have referred to abbreviatus is new; but before this can be determined, the

[* These insects form part of the collections made by me as Surgeon and Naturalist of the United States Northern Boundary Commission, Archibald Campbell, Esq., United States Commissioner, Maj. William J. Twining, United States Engineers, Chief Astronomer. They were all taken on or near the parallel of 49° N., along the northern border of Dakota and Montana.

The same remark applies to the two next succeeding articles, by Mr. Uhler and Mr. Edwards.-ED.]

species of that genus will have to be more carefully studied, which will require a comparison of a large number of specimens.

In giving the names of species in my Synopsis, I adopted the plan which appears to prevail in this country of attaching the name of the author of the combination (generic and specific) used. I am convinced that this is objectionable, and that the name of the original describer of the species should be given, and hence have followed this method in this paper, and propose so doing hereafter.

As will be seen, some reference is made to Stål's "Recensio Orthop· terorum"; but the changes in that work have not in all cases been adopted. Respectfully yours,

Dr. ELLIOTT COUES, U. S. A.,

Washington, D. C.

ACRIDIDE.

1. Stenobothrus curtipennis Harr.

CYRUS THOMAS.

The specimens in the collection belong to the long-winged variety (St. longipennis Scudd.).

Stål restores the name Gomphocerus of Thunberg, and in his "Conspectus Generum" makes it equivalent to Stetheophyma Fisch., Arcyptera Serv., Chrysochraon Fisch., and Gomphocerus Thunb., yet in the body of his work he gives Stetheophyma Fisch. as a distinct genus. In a former paper, Freg. Eug. Resa. Ins. Orth. 1860", he seemed disposed to include in this genus the greater portion of the Tryxaloid Edipodæ. For example, we find him including under this, as subgenera or otherwise, the following genera of his present work:-Sinipta, part of Tryxalis, Phlæoba, Pnorissa, Gomphocerus Thunb., Epacromia Fisch., Scyllina. Of course, the subgenera then named foreshadowed his intention to subdivide the genus, yet his use of the latter shows that he was following too closely Thunberg, notwithstanding the great advance made by Charpentier, Burmeister, Serville, Fischer, and others. It is true the characters of Stenobothrus as given by Fischer fail to include all the species which evidently belong to the group. But the difference between the Stetheophyma and typical Stenobothri of Fischer, it appears to me, is too clear in its character to associate them in one restricted genus when other genera have been separated from the group on such slight characters.

2. Tomonotus tenebrosus Scudd.

Specimens of the typical form and that I described as pseudo-nietanus are in the collection; the latter, as a general rule, is smaller than the former, and is very distinctly marked with the pale stripes along the sides of the pronotum. The locality at which these specimens were obtained forms, so far as known, the northern limit of the range of this species, which extends south to New Mexico, east to Illinois and Saint Paul, Minn., and west a short distance beyond the range of the Rocky

Mountains in Wyoming, according to the specimens I have examined; but if I am correct in regard to a species Stål has described, it is found as far west as Vancouver's Island. This writer has described as new, under the name of Arphia sanguinaria, a species from this island which is undoubtedly Scudder's tenebrosa.

Why this author has replaced Saussure's Tomonotus with Arphia, when it includes the same species, it is difficult to say.

3. Hippiscus phoenicoptera Germ.

The number of specimens in this collection indicates that this is quite common in the regions where the collections were made.

While traveling through Southern Dakota in 1873, I noticed that, as I advanced toward the northwest, Edipoda (Hippiscus) rugosa approached nearer and nearer in its characters to H. phoenicoptera, especially in the color of the wings and the spots on the elytra.

4. Edipoda kiowa Thos.

5. Edipoda gracilis Thos.

Specimens of both these little species are found in the collections; this gives the northern limit of their range, so far as known.

It is probable both species will have to be removed from Edipoda as that genus is now restricted, but at present I am unable to state whether either will fall into any existing genus. The former will, in all proba bility, fall into the same limited group as E. longipes Charp.

6. Edipoda neglecta Thos.

Dr. Coues's discovery of this species along the northern boundary and my discovery of it in Illinois show that it has a much wider range than I at first supposed.

7. Calopienus spretus Thos.

See note in regard to this destructive locust at the end of this paper. It will be observed that I have placed my own name after this species, indicating thereby, according to what I have previously stated, that I claim to be the author. This I believe I have the right to do, as no regular description is to be found anywhere previous to that I have given, which distinguishes it from C. femur-rubrum. Mr. Uhler did not describe it, and does not claim to be the author. The name was first given in my paper published in the Illinois State Agricultural Report. According to Stål's arrangement, there are no species of Calopteni in the United States; this and femur-rubrum belonging to Pezottetix, subgenus Melanophus.

There is no doubt that the Calopteni and Pezottetigi of North America need revision, but I have strong doubts as to the correctness of Dr. Stål's conclusions, which lead him to restore Calliptamus of Serville, corrected into Calliptenus, drop Caloptenus of Burmeister entirely, and transfer femur-rubrum and other long-winged Calopteni to Pezottetix; and I have given my reasons for these doubts in another place.

8. Caloptenus bivittatus Say.

The specimens of this species are few, and considerably under the usual size; in fact, some are scarcely an inch long.

9. Caloptenus occidentalis Thos.

A specimen which appears to belong to this species is in the first collection. I found it quite numerous at Glyndon and Moorhead in the Red River Valley. It approaches very near to the variety (or species) which Professor Riley has named C. atlanis. The size, appearance, movements, bluish cast of the wings, all remind one very strongly of the latter. The tip of the last ventral segment of the male does not agree with either spretus, femur-rubrum, or atlanis, being rather more pointed than either, but not notched.

As will be seen in the note on spretus, it may be possible after all that these are but varieties of femur-rubrum, and that the differences are owing to climatic influences.

10. Pezottetix borealis Scudd.

11. Pezottetix speciosa Scudd.

I find in the collections specimens which appear to belong to these species, yet they vary somewhat from the characters given.

12. Tettix granulata Scudd.

A single specimen, which I have referred with some doubt to this species.

I add the following list of Acridida, which have been found in the Pembina region, but are not represented in these collections, which are given here in order to complete the Boundary Line Acridian List so far as known.

13. Edipoda verruculata.

14. Stenobothrus æqualis.

15. Stenobothrus speciosus.

16. Stenobothrus maculipennis.

17. Stenobothrus æqualis.

18. Stenobothrus propinquans.

The northern limit of some of these may be in Minnesota, but it is presumable that most extend to the boundary; some are known to. It is somewhat strange that E. carolina is missing from the collections.

LOCUSTIDE AND GRYLLIDÆ.

The Locustida, although very few in number, indicate a treeless region, there being but a single specimen (a small Phaneroptera curvicauda), which selects a bush or tree for its habitation.

Specimen too much injured to determine the species; probably C. divergens Scudder, which, so far as preserved, it strongly resembles. 20. Udeopsylla robusta Scudd.

This species, though never found in considerable numbers in any place, is nevertheless found over a great part of the West. I recently observed it at Bloomington, Ill., while attending a teachers' natural history institute held at that place, which shows it is found east of the Mississippi 21 and 22. Anabrus purpurascens Uhl.

I may add also A. coloradus Thos., which, though not found in the collections, I received from Manitoba from another source.

23. Phaneroptera curvicauda Serv.

As the specimen is alcoholic, and much smaller than usual, I have placed it in this genus with some doubt.

24. Orchelimum

25. Gryllus abbreviatus Serv.

There are several specimens in the collection, some in the pupa state, and some apparently in the perfect state; but they are much smaller than the usual size of this exceedingly variable species. They may possibly belong to Scudder's G. niger.

NOTE ON CALOPTENUS SPRETUS.

The great locust invasion of 1874, and the resulting broods of 1875, have called renewed attention to this species, and have brought it more prominently before the world than it has ever been heretofore. They have raised several important questions, both economic and scientific, some of which may ultimately be distinctly and satisfactorily answered, while others will perhaps always remain matters of conjecture only. Among the economic or practical are the following:-Are there any means of preventing their migrations? and, if so, what are they, and are they practicable? What means have the agriculturists of defending themselves against their attacks? As relating to both the scientific and economic are the following:-Were there such eruptions into the same regions before the entry of civilized man? Are their incursions growing more and more frequent, and are their limits being extended farther and farther eastward? If the facts require this last question to be answered in the affirmative, then how is it to be accounted for? Is there any danger of their becoming permanent residents of the Mississippi Valley? Is it at all likely that they will ever penetrate to the States east of the Mississippi? Is C. spretus a distinct species, or are