ORTHOPTERA. 



The Orthoptera are Insects of moderate or large size, undergoing- 

 an imperfect metamorphosis, the larva and pupa being ot: the 

 same form as the perfect insect, and the pupa (or nymph, as it is 

 often called) being active, and generally differing from the larva 

 in the possession of rudimentary wings.* 



Fig. 1. — (A) Nymph of Locusfa clanica, L. : r/, costa of wing ; (B) adult 

 Hicroglyphus : b, costa of front wing. 



The Orthoptera are always provided with strong mandibles, 

 and are almost exclusively vegetable feeders, except the Mantid.e 

 and many Phasgoxdiiid.e, The front pair of wings are called 

 ier/mina, or by some authors eJijtra, and are nearly al\^"ays of a 

 parcliment-like texture (rarely horny, as in the majority of 

 Coleoptera), while the hind wings are membranous. They are 

 most nearly allied to the typical Neuroptera of Linnaeus (the 

 Dragouflies), the Odonata of JFabricius, which some authors have 



* [These nymph forms cun be distinguished from semi-apterous adults by 

 the wings being inverted, i.e., the costa is uppermost,] 



