100 



FAMILY IV.— WALKING-STICKS. 



numerous joints, inserted in front of the eyes. Palpi short, 

 cylindrical. Legs simple, the anterior pair similar to the 

 others. Tarsi five-jointed. Elytra very short, or wanting, 



THE COMMON WALKING-STICK. 



[Diapheromera femorata Say). 

 This is a A'-ery common insect in Minnesota, yet very few 

 persons have ever seen it, and if it is shown to them they 

 are greatly astonished to hear that it may be found in large 



numbers during the autumn by 

 beating bushes, especially of ha- 

 zel and oak, over an inverted 

 umbrella. The insect, (Fig. 

 61), is either greenish or green- 

 ish-brown. These colors var3% 

 however, very greatly, the green 

 color being dominant early in 

 the season, while the brown 

 coloris more common later. The 

 head of the male usually shows 

 three brown stripes; that of the 

 female two, one on each side, ex- 

 tending backwards from the base 

 of the antennae. With the excep- 

 tion ofthe anterior pair of legs the 

 femora of all others are armed on 

 the under side with stout and 

 acute spines. The tibicC of the 

 anterior legs of the male are 

 green in most specimens found 

 in Minnesota; the femora ofthe 

 middle pair of legs are marked 

 with darker bands. Elytra en- 

 tirely wanting. 

 The black and oval egg is cov- 



Vis.Ql.-Diaohercy,nerafen,oruta. ^^^^j ^^-^j^ ^^ exceedingly hard 



