ORTHOPTERA. 



177 



ground nil through the winter and hatch for the most part during the month of May. 

 Some of them, however, continue hatching much later, so that all through the summer 

 and even into the fall, young individuals may be found. The embryo, just about to 

 hatch, lies within the egg with the head pressed against the oval lid and the body 

 curled round so that the end of the 

 abdomen, which is thickened and 

 contracted, reaches near the mouth. 

 The long antennae project in front of 

 the head and follow the curve of the 

 body, while the long legs are folded 

 up in the central space. When 

 hatched, the yoiing of this species 

 measures 4.5 mm., and with their 

 feelers and legs outstretched, nearly 

 double that length. The insect 

 changes very little in appearance 

 from birth to maturity except so far 

 as color is concerned. Growth is 

 rapid, averaging, under favorable cir- 

 cumstances, about six weeks from 

 birth to maturity. With age the 

 green color gives way to various 

 shades of gray and brown, though 

 exceptional individuals remain 

 green. In other words, these in- 

 sects put on their autumn tints just 

 as does most of the deciduous vege- 



\U 



tation. In this way we find great 

 correspondence with its surround- 

 ings. While the vegetation is green 

 the Diapheromera is green ; when 

 the foliage turns in autumn it changes 

 color accordingly. The species has 

 become very numerous in parts of 

 the Middle States, where it does 

 great injury to various trees, espe- 

 cially to the oaks. The eggs of 

 this species often lie on the ground 

 through two winters before hatch- 

 ing. 



The species of the genus Phyl- 

 lium, found only in the East Indies, 

 bears a most remarkable resemblance to various leaves. The wings are often very 

 large and broad, and, as if to aid in carrying out the analogy, the legs have broad, 

 leaf-like expansions. One species has its front wings so veined and colored as to 

 resemble a dried and withered leaf, while Phyllium siccifoUum, which we figure, is 

 green. Prisopus fldbellicornis, a Brazilian species, according to A. Murray, spends 

 the whole of the day under water, adhering to stones in cool mountain streams till 



VOL. II. 12 



FIG. 253. Diapheromera, femorata, walking stick; a b, eggs. 



