80 [July, 1846. 



and congratulated the Society, on the prospect of a copy being 

 soon obtained for its Library. 



Meeting for Business, July 8, 1846. 



Vice President Morton in the Chair. 



The Committee on Dr. Leidy's paper on the Anatomy of 

 Spectrum femoratum, Say, reported in favor of publication. 



On the Anatomy of Spectrum femoratum, Say. 

 By Joseph Leidy, M. D. 



Spectrum femoratum is one of those singular insects which from their 

 appearance, in localities where they are found, are commonly known under 

 the name of " Walking Sticks." 



This species was first described by the distinguished naturalist, formerly 

 in connection with our Society, Thomas Say, and a description and drawing 

 of it will be found in the third volume of his American Entomology. Indi- 

 vidual specimens have been found in most parts of the United States, but I 

 have not learned of any place where it i3 abundant, excepting in the State 

 of Iowa, from whence I obtained my specimens, through Dr. B. J. Kern, 

 who informs me they are found in considerable numbers, frequenting high 

 bluffs or dry exposed situations, creeping on the ground or on decaying 

 timber. 



It belongs to the order Orthoptera, family Mantidas. The male insect 

 measures 2 inches 9 lines in length, and one line in breadth ; the female, 

 3 inches, 7 lines in length, and 2 lines in breadth at the thorax, and 3J 

 lines at the abdomen. 



The head is oval; the eyes are somewhat protuberant. It has no sim- 

 ple eyes. The antennae, in the male, are about 2 inches in length ; in the 

 female, 1 inches ; setaceous, and numerously jointed, the joints (Fig. 1.) 

 being long, oval and hirsute. 



The thorax has three segments, the two posterior of which form full one 

 third the length of the whole body. The smallest rudiment of wings does 

 not exist. The anterior and posterior pair of legs, in the male, are two 

 inches in length, the intermediate pair one and one-half inches ; in the 

 female they are all about half an inch shorter. They are narrow, and 

 much separated in the walking position. The thighs of the central 

 pair of legs in the male are comparatively thick and the thighs of the central 

 and posterior pairs, have at their distal extremity an acute projecting 

 spine, long in the male, short in the female. The tarsus (Fig. 2.) 

 is five jointed, each joint being furnished with stiff hairs and at the under 

 part of the distal extremity, a pair of hard, smooth, shining black tuber- 



