218 iMEANS OF DEFENCE OF INSECTS. 



of plants, living, decaying, and dead ; some in their 

 colour, and some both in their colour and shape. The 

 caterpillar of a moth [Hadena Ligustri) that feeds upon 

 the privet, is so exactly of the colour of the underside of 

 the leaf, upon which it usually sits in the day-time, that 

 you may have the leaf in your hand and yet not discover 

 it ^. — The tribe of grasshoppers, called Locustce by Fa- 

 bricius, though the true Locust does not belong to it, in 

 the veining, colour, and texture of their elytra, resemble 

 green leaves'* . — The tribe of Phasmina — named praying- 

 insects and spectres — also of the Orthoptera order, often 

 exhibit the same peculiarity. — Others of them, by the 

 spots and mixtures of colour observable in these organs, 

 represent leaves that are decaying in various degrees. — 

 Those of several species of Maiitidcv likewise imitate dry 

 leaves, and so exactly, by their opacity, colour, rigidity, 

 and veins, that, were no other part of the animal visible, 

 even after a close examination, it would be generally 

 affirmed to be nothing but a dry leaf. Of this nature is 

 the PhyUmm siccifolmm, and two or three Brazilian spe- 

 cies in my cabinet, that seem undescribed, which I will 

 show youM'hen you give me an opportunity. But these 

 imitations of dry leaves are not confined to the Ortho- 

 ptera order solely. Amongst the Hcmiptera, the Jcmi- 

 thia paradoxa^ a kind of bug, surprised Sparrman not a 

 little. He was sheltering himself from the mid-day sun, 

 when the air was so still and calm as scarcely to shake 

 an aspen leaf, and saw with wonder what he mistook for 



^ Brahin Insckten Kalendcr, ii. 383. 



* Hence we have Lociista citrifolia, taurifolia, cameilifo/ia, mj/rti/olia, 

 salvifolia, Sec. which, I believe, all belong to a genus T have named 

 Plcyojiki^lla. 



