Article X.-REMARKS ON SPECIMENS OF CHILONYC TERIS RUBIGINOSUS FROM WESTERN MEXICO, By J. A. ALLEN. The Museum has recently received from Dr. Audley C. Buller a small collection of Bats from the south shore of Lake Chapala, in the State of Michoacan, Mexico, among which are four specimens, referable to Chilonycteris rubiginosus. As the specimens have been freshly collected, and still retain the natural coloration of the membranes (not usually given in published descriptions), I append the following description based on them. Pelage short, rather thin and very fine; above dull brown, the fur uniform in color throughout; below somewhat lighter grayish brown, the fur being slightly tipped with grayish. Ears and membranes everywhere pale brown, except the ventral surface of the interfemoral membrane, which is whitish or lead-colored. Alar and interfemoral membranes edged with whitish, forming a conspicuous border when seen from below, especially on the front edge of the alar and posterior edge of the interfemoral. Ears not white-edged, but whitish externally at the base. Membranes naked, except for a slight hairiness on the basal portion of the upper surface of the interfemoral. Ears naked externally except at the base; internally with a few scattered hairs. The four specimens, all males, vary but little in size, the forearm ranging in length from 53 to 57 mm. This is considerably smaller than the measurements of C. rubiginosa, given by authors. C. rubiginosa has been reported from Dueñas, Guatemala, and also from Mirador (near Vera Cruz) in Mexico, the latter locality hitherto resting on a MS. list of Mexican Bats in the National Museum (cf. Alston, Biol. Cent. Am., Mam., p. 36). Through the kindness of Mr. Frederick W. True, Curator of Mammals in the United States National Museum, these specimens (Nat. Mus. Nos. 6181, 8, and 6180, 9, Mirador, Mexico, Dr. Sartorius) are now before me. They agree very nearly in size with the larger examples of the Lake Chapala series, but are radically different in color, being light reddish brown instead of dusky or blackish brown. The forearm measures 55 mm. in the female, and 59 mm. in the male, as against 53 to 57 mm. in the four males from Lake Chapala, and 62.2 mm. as given for this species by Dobson. Notwithstanding the smaller dimensions of the northern specimens, in view of the reputed wide range in color variation shown in this species, I deem it best to refrain from naming the Mexican animal, even subspecifically, especially in the absence of material from more southern points for comparison. Note on Pteronotus davyi Gray.-With the four specimens of Chilonycteris above described were four examples of Otopterus bulleri (H. Allen) and six of Pteronotus davyi. These latter are of particular interest, inasmuch as they represent two widely different color phases, which are evidently independent of sex, age or season. The six specimens are all adult males except one, which is an adult female. Three of the males are in the "brilliant fulvous-chestnut " phase, for which Mr. Oldfield Thomas has recently proposed the subspecific name fulvus (Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., Ser. 6, X, p. 410, Nov., 1892); the other two males and the female are in the dark reddish brown dress of the ordinary Trinidad form of dazyi. The length of the forearm ranges in the five males from 43 to 45 mm., the largest just equaling that of a single male specimen in Mr. Chapman's collection from Trinidad. Hence these specimens appear to conform closely in size with Mr. Thomas's series (1. c.), in which the forearm varied from 42.5 to 45 mm. The single specimen (3) previously recorded by me from the Plains of Colima (this Bulletin, III, p. 178, Dec., 1890) agrees also in coloration with Trinidad specimens; so that of the 12 specimens recorded by Mr. Thomas and myself from Mexico, four are colored as in Trinidad specimens and eight are of the "brilliant fulvous chestnut" type. It therefore seems doubtful whether this color difference is of subspecific importance. The smaller size of the northern examples appears to be parallel with what occurs in Chilonycteris rubiginosus, as above recorded. Article XI. NOTES ON SOME SPECIES OF NORTH AMERICAN ORTHOPTERA, WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW SPECIES. By WILLIAM BEUTENMÜLLER. In advance of a descriptive catalogue of the Orthoptera found within a radius of fifty miles of New York City and adjacent districts, the following notes and descriptions of some apparently new species are presented. Nemobius affinis, sp. nov. Shining, head and thorax fusco-testaceous or wholly piceous and sparsely covered with rather long hairs. Antennæ longer than the body. Wing covers of the female not reaching the tip of the abdomen, and with a paler line along the angle where the wing covers turn down at the sides. In the male the wing covers extend to the tip of the abdomen. Hind wings absent in both the The abdomen above is blackish, with faint traces of some paler spots; on the underside the body is wholly testaceous, as are also the legs, but somewhat darker. Anal cerci extending beyond the ovipositor, which points obliquely upwards. Length of body about 6-8 mm.; ovipositor of female, 3-4 mm.; cerci, 3.5-4 mm. sexes. Types: males and females, Coll. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. Collected in Connecticut and different places in the vicinity of New York City; also taken in abundance on Staten Island by Mr. Davis. Closely allied to Nemobius fasciatus, form vittatus, but smaller and more shining. It also differs by the shortness of the ovipositor, it being about one-half as long, and by having the abdomen wholly testaceous beneath. The stridulation is a long, continuous, soft, rolling whirrrrrr. The insect occurs from the latter part of July until frost. It is found in the same places as Nemobius fasciatus, and is rather common. This is the species described by Mr. W. S. Blatchley in the Proceedings of the Indiana Academy of Sciences, 1891, p. 136, as Nemobius exiguus Scudder. Dr. Scudder did not describe an insect under this name, but simply refers to Say's Acheta exigua (Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., Vol. VII, 1862, p. 429). Say's description of this latter species agrees fairly well with the little Cricket known to us at present as Anaxipha pulicaria (Burm.). This latter species was described from Jamaica, and is probably differ ent from Anaxipha exigua. Ecanthus nigricornis Walker. Ecanthus fasciatus DE GEER, FITCH, Rep. Nox. Ins. N. Y. Trans. N. Y. Agricul. Soc. 1856, p. 414 (in error). Ecanthus nigricornis WALKER, Cat. Derm. & Saltat. Brit. Mus. Gryllida, 1869, p. 93. The description of Ecanthus nigricornis Walker agrees very well with the long-winged form of the species described by Fitch under the name of Ecanthus fasciatus De Geer. Fitch, however, erroneously mistook his insect for DeGeer's Gryllus fasciatus, which is a Nemobius. Consequently he did not give a name to his species, and Walker's name nigricornis should be used. It is jet black with yellowish green elytra and wings. The first two joints of the antennæ have two black marks on each, those on the first joint usually confluent at the apex. These marks are mostly always obscured by the black ground color of the antennæ. It is found on low bushes in open fields and roadsides, and stridulates in the hottest sunshine. The stridulation is a long and comparatively loud, continuous whirrrrrr, often lasting several minutes. Ecanthus 4-punctatus, sp. nov. This name is proposed for the wholly pale green species with two black marks on the underside of the first two basal joints of each antenna, the innermost mark on the first joint nearly as long as the joint, and the outer one in shape of a spot; on the second joint the marks are oblong and nearly equal. The antennæ are fuscous except the basal joint, which is pale green. The insect is at present known to us as a variety E. nigricornis. It is certainly distinct, since it does not breed together with nigricornis. Amongst the many individuals collected or observed by me in the field in coitu, I have never been able to find E. 4-punctatus in coitu with E. nigricornis, but always found the two species breeding separately. Measurements.-Male: Length of body, 10 mm.; pronotum, 2.5 mm. ; wing covers, II mm. ; hind femora, 7.5 mm.; width of wing covers, when folded, 5 mm. Female Length of body, 10 mm,; pronotum, 2.5 mm.; wing covers, 10 mm. ; hind femora, 7 mm. ; width of wing covers, when folded, 3 mm. Lives on low bushes in open fields, and the stridulation is the same as that of E. nigricornis. Ecanthus angustipennis Fitch. Fitch's description of E. angustipennis is entirely too brief for recognition of the species he intended to describe. It applies equally as well to E. 4-punctatus as to the insect determined by recent writers as E. angustipennis. Whether the latter has been correctly determined or not can never be definitely ascertained, as Fitch's type of the species, as well as all his other species of Ecanthus, have been destroyed. I would propose that the name E. angustipennis, nevertheless, be retained for the species so well known to us by this name. It may be easily recognized by being wholly pale greenish white, with the wing covers narrow, and by having one black mark on each of the first two basal joints of the antennæ; the one on the first joint elongate and hooked at the base, with the hook turned inwards; and the mark on the second joint shorter and slightly curved. The stridulation is a faint continuous reeeecé, lasting about five seconds, and terminating abruptly, and with an equal interval of rest. It inhabits the high branches of trees, and is very seldom found on low bushes and shrubs. It stridulates late in the afternoon and by night. Scudderia fasciata, sp. nov. Head green, with a white line in front and a yellowish mark at the sides ; basal joint of antennæ green, following joints testaceous, becoming darker towards the extremity; pronotum dark grass green, paler at the side, and a rather broad yellow stripe along the lateral carina; wing covers dark grass green with a yellowish brown line running along the inner margin, and preceded by a blackish line running from the base to the apex; another blackish line runs along the costal vein; hind wings transparent, veins green and a green patch at the apex with a blackish dash; sides of abdomen green, above purplish; underside with a white and purplish stripe on each side, green along the middle; tip of anal spines of the male and ovipositor of female reddish brown ; anterior legs green, femora testaceous at base; middle legs green; hind legs green, with the femora marked with black outside; tibia with black spines; tarsi of all the legs purplish brown; the anal spines are like those of S. angustifolia and S. furcata. |