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FAMILY V.—LOCUSTS.

FAMILY Y.

LOCUSTS OR SHORT-HORNED GRASSHOPPERS.

( Acrididse).

The members of this family differ from other Saltatoria in having the six to twenty-four jointed antennas shorterthan the body. They are either filiform, flattened, or ensi-form, rarely clavate. The ovipositor of the female is short,composed of four plates. The first segment of the abdomenpossesses on each side a supposed organ of hearing. An-terior and middle legs about equal, or nearly so, in length,much shorter than the posterior pair, which is fitted forjumping. The tarsi are three-jointed, the first joint, usuallythe longest and much longer than the second, has the under-side marked by two cross impressions, which, when seen onthis side, give it the appearance of being composed of threepieces. Wing-covers, when not in use, rest partly horizontalon the back of the abdomen, and partly deflexed against thesides. Most of the species possess wings, but in a few theseorgans arewanting. The head is usually short and extendedhorizontally in two of the sub-families. Immediately underthe vertex, but in some cases above it, there is on each sidea little space bounded by elevated ridges. These spaces arecalled lateral foveoUe, and their variations in form affordcharacters much used in classification. The front is gen-erally traversed by three vertical keels or carinse. The pro-notum is divided into four lobes by three more or less wellmarked transverse sutures, and is also frequently furnishedwith a median crest. The hind tibias carry upon the upperside two rows of spines; the numbers of these is of use indistinguishing species; the presence or absence of the histspine in the outer row is of much greater importance. Be-sides these spines there are four articulated spurs, which aresituated in two pairs, one on the outer and one on the innerside of the tibiae. In the male the ventral surface of the ab-domen consists of nine segments, in the female there are but