ORDER III.—STRAIGHT-WINGED INSECTS. 109 
al deficiency in entomological knowledge, that, numberless 
though they be, still very few persons can say that they 
have seen this handsome little insect. It dwells in trees 
and shrubs, and usually conceals itself during the day un- 
der the leaves. I have no doubt that many, if not all, have 
accidentally met with it, but few except those acquainted 
with entomology have observed it knowing it to be the fa- 
mous Katydid; and I have often been surprised, when de- 
scribing this insect to persons of intelligence who have had 
every opportunity of noticing it, to hear them say, “‘ I have 
never seen one.” Its voice, however, has been heard by all, 
and is very generally considered the harbinger of approach- 
ing winter. 
Fig. 23 represents the male Katydid; Fig. 24 the female, 
with expanded wings. 
There are several other species in this country, all of a 
more or less green color, and all belonging to the same fam- 
ily; as, for instance, the Sword-bearer (Conocephalus en- 
siger), with a conical head and a very long ovipositor; the 
Oblong leaf-winged Katydid (Phylloptera oblongifolia); the 
Narrow-leaved Katydid (Phaneroptera angustifolia), and sev- 
eral others. 
But the tropics furnish many other species, which bear a 
still more striking resemblance to leaves; and from this 
circumstance are accordingly named Laurel-leaf, Lily-leaf, 
Myrtle-leaf, ete. 
This close resemblance has been the origin of many fab- 
ulous accounts and marvelous stories, namely, that some 
_ kinds of leaves are metamorphosed into insects, and living 
insects are changed into dead leaves, etc., etc. 
A certain traveler, in a work on America published sey- 
eral years ago, related the most absurd stories in regard to 
these insects. He said that on this continent an animated 
insect often changes itself into a lifeless plant by putting its 
feet into the ground and allowing them to take root, when 
