218 



ORTHOPTERA 



CHAP. 



FIG. 116. Foetus of Hemimerus. 



the mandibles are concealed by the maxillae, but are large, com- 

 pressed, and on their inner edge toothed. The maxillae are well 

 developed, are surmounted by two lobes and bear five-jointed palpi. 



The ligula appears to be broad and 

 short, and formed of two parts longi- 

 tudinally divided ; the short palpi 

 consist of three segments. The men- 

 turn is very large. The lingua is 

 present in the form of a free pubescent 

 lobe with a smaller lobe on each 

 side. The structure of the pleura is 

 not fully understood ; that of the 

 abdomen seems to be very like the 

 earwigs, with a similar difference in 

 the sexes. The cerci are something 

 like those of Gryllidae, being long, 

 flexible, and uiisegmented. The legs 

 (After Hansen. ) a, Antenna ; b, have rather small coxae, and three- 



S^<S^t^ ! * ***** tarsi > two of which are 



densely studded with fine hairs 



beneath, as in Coleoptera. It is difficult to detect the stigmata, 

 but Dr. Hansen believes there are ten pairs. 



The species described by Dr. Hansen as H. talpoides is prob- 

 ably distinct from that of Walker, though both come from 

 equatorial West Africa. Dr. 

 Hansen's species, which may 

 be called H. hanseni, has 

 been .found living on the 

 body of a large rat, Crice- 

 tomys gambianus ; the In- 

 sect occurred on a few speci- 

 mens only of the mammal, 

 but when found was present 

 in considerable numbers ; it 

 runs with rapidity among 

 the hairs and apparently 



also springs. The nature of FlG - 117 - Hemimerus talpoides. Africa (After 

 L c de Saussure. ) A, Upper ; B, under surface. 



its food is by no means clear. 



Not the least remarkable fact in connexion with this peculiar 



Insect is its gestation. The young are borne inside the mother, 



