THE SORTING OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS 



83 



Fig. 48. The walking stick 



This animal has startled many a person by 

 walking away from a hand stretched out to 

 grasp a leaf or twig. The insect is related to 

 the locust and katydid, but it has no wings. 

 Its body and legs are very long in proportion 

 to thickness, and the enlargements at the joints 

 and the irregularity of outline increase the re- 

 semblance to bare twigs. Moreover, the color 

 of the animal changes with the seasons, from 

 a bright green in the spring to a deep brown 

 in the fall, thus matching its natural surround- 

 ings in a most remarkable way 



Fig. 49, Praying mantis 



This animal lies in wait for its prey 

 with the front legs raised in a 

 manner suggesting the attitude of 

 prayer. It catches small insects 

 with its strong front legs. Large 

 species living in the tropics have 

 been known to kill small birds 



2. Orthoptera ("straight-winged"). Wings lying parallel with 



body or folding lengthwise ; incomplete metamorphosis ; 

 biting mouth. (Examples. Locusts, crickets, walking 

 sticks, katydids, cockroaches, mantis.) 



3. Neuroptera ("netted-veined wings"). A large group broken up 



into several orders by entomologists ; complete metamor- 



