50 LIFE STORIES OF AUSTRALIAN INSECTS. 



first segment of the abdomen (Plate 3, Fig. 7, a.), 

 just behind the junction of the hind leg. 



The short-horned grasshopper is really the true 

 locust, and when the term "locust" is met with in 

 scientific writings, this grasshopper is referred to 

 and not the cicada to which the name locust is so 

 generally applied in Australia. 



If we carefully observe one of these grass- 

 hoppers, we shall see that the head is at right angles 

 to the body, and the mouth is towards the surface 

 on which the insect rests. The little jointed struc- 

 tures surrounding the mouth can be well seen if 

 the insect is turned upon its back, and if they are 

 touched with a straw^ their movement in eating may 

 be noted. 



The first segment of the thorax looks like a pro- 

 tecting shield over the roof-like body, and partly 

 over the head. 



The front wings are frequently called the teg- 

 mina. They are horny and opaque along the outer 

 edge. (Plate 3, Figs. 4 and 5.) The hind pair forms 

 a pretty fan when expanded, and lies like a closed 

 fan when at rest, being protected by the overlap- 

 ping front pair. 



The first and second pairs of legs are equal in 

 size, but the thigh of the third pair is enormously 

 developed for hopping purposes (Plate 7, Fig. la). 



The abdomen as a rule is covered by the wings, 

 but we meet a few types with short wings and 

 others again that are v/ingless. Short-horns are the 

 strongest in flight in the Orthoptera and possess 



