58 NATURE STUD\. 



rings, but has no legs or wings. Count the rings in 

 the abdomen in as many kinds of grasshoppers as 30U can 

 find, and see if there is always the same number. 



Observe the head more closely. Notice the big eyes, 

 that cover so much of the sides of the head. With some 

 kind of magnifier — a very simple and cheap one will do 

 nicely — notice the fine lines crossing one another all over 

 the eye. Two tiny eyes, like beads, can be seen in front 

 of the compound eyes. These are simple eyes, called ocelli. 

 With the lens hunt for another simple eye, or ocellus, on 

 the head. Notice the antennae, or one kind of "feelers." 

 See where the}' start from the head, how long and slender 

 they are, and that the}' are made up of rings. Try to count 

 the rings in the antennae of different kinds of grasshoppers. 



Open the mouth by pressing the sides of the head. Find 

 the upper lip and the under lip. Try to find the jaws. 

 There are two pairs ; perhaps with the lens you can find 

 both. Notice that they move sidewise, instead of up and 

 down, and the lower pair and the under lip have "feelers." 

 These are called palpi, and they help the grasshopper to 

 find and select his food. 



Compare the hind legs with the front ones. How does 

 a grasshopper jump? What keeps him from slipping ? 

 Are the hind feet turned forward or backward ? Are the 

 front feet turned the same way ? 



lyook at the front wings. See how they overlap each 

 other. Pull one off and see how strong and tough it is. 

 It is called a wing cover, and is a very nicely fitting cover, 

 too. Notice that some grasshoppers that live in very green 

 grass have green wing-covers, while those living mostly 

 in dry, brown fields have brown or gray wing-covers. Try 

 to think why. 



Spread a hind wing. Notice that the color pattern is 

 different in different kinds of grasshoppers, but is always 

 the same in the same kind. This is so that they can 



