EWING : OBSERVATIONS ON ACRIDID^. 309 



at the joints and the body raised. Bethe observed this abnor- 

 mal flexed condition of the appendages to pass off in the grass- 

 hopper after twenty-four hours, when the normal position of 

 the body was practically assumed again. 



I found that brainless grasshoppers continue to move their 

 palps and occasionally wipe or preen the palps with their front 

 legs for apparently no cause. Shortly after the operation they 

 make a few spontaneous walking movements, that gradually 

 become weak and w*avering, so that during twenty-four hours 

 it may be that they have only turned round, or taken one or two 

 steps. During this time, however, they execute peculiar sway- 

 ing movements, whereby the legs of first one side, then the 

 other, are slightly raised from the ground. Similar movements 

 are frequently observed however in the normal hopper. 



The normal grasshopper stands with its body quite close to 

 the table, the femur of the hind legs obliquely bent upwards, 

 while the brainless animal assumes the position described by 

 Bethe. By close inspection it is seen that, shortly after the loss 

 of the brain, the two pairs of walking legs are flexed at the 

 joints, so that they assume a straighter position, and point to- 

 ward the median plane of the body instead of away from it. 

 Thereby the thorax is elevated, while the jumping-legs are no 

 longer held obliquely with the abdomen but more parallel to it. 

 In addition to this, it is observed, that the head is lowered so 

 that the palps touch the table. During the following hours, 

 however, the flexed condition of the legs gradually disappears, 

 and they assume finally an abducted posture, so that the abdo- 

 men rests on the table and the walking legs are more extended 

 from each other. 



Usually, when a normal hopper is taken in the hand, the res- 

 piratory movements cease for a few seconds, being inhibited 

 through the stimulus of touch or temperature of the fingers. 

 This inhibition is not observed in the brainless hopper, under 

 this circumstance. I found, moreover, that for about one hour 

 after the brain is destroyed, the slightest touch will often cause 

 the animal to fly or hop, a much stronger touch being normally 

 required to excite this response. It may either jump once for 

 each stimulus, or take one or two steps and then stop. If its 

 wings are held with forceps it makes a weak attempt to walk 

 away, but it does not jump or endeavor to remove the annoying 



