312 



INSECTS ABROAD. 



Necroscia, which is formed from a Greek word signifying " death," 

 is given to the insects in consequence of their resemblance to 

 dead bits of stick as they sit with their wings closed. 



The difference between the sexes in the Phasmidre, to which 

 allusion has more than once been made, is very strongly appa- 

 rent in the insect which now comes before us. 



The figure of Ecstatosoma tiriaium, which is here given, repre- 

 sents a female. In this sex the body is very large, covered with 

 spikes, especially on the head, which has as it were a crown of 

 spikes ; the legs are flattened at the sides into leaf-like append- 

 ages, and several segments of the abdomen are developed at the 



^¥.r 



Fig. 155. — Ecstatosoma tiriatum. 

 (Green.) 



sides so as to form projecting teeth. The wings are so small as 

 to be useless for the purposes of flight. The male insect has 

 scarcely one-sixth the bulk of the female, his body is slight and 

 smooth, without the projecting segments, and he is furnished 

 with a pair of exceedingly ample and very delicate wings. 

 Indeed, so totally different are the two sexes, that at first sight 

 it seems scarcely possible to realize the fact that they belong to 

 the same species, particularly when the wings of the male are 

 expanded. 



The colour of the insect is emerald green. The egg is more 

 gk)bular tlian oval, and at one end there is a projecting point 

 wliich marks Ihe "operculum " oi- moveable door M'liicli permits 



