Lije-liisiory of ike Stick Insed, Cunmsius niowsus. 303 



IG. The Reconstruction of a Lost Limi;. 



Having' read that Stick Insects are capable of growing 

 a new limb in the event of one being lost under certain 

 conditions, I made the following experiment : — 



Poslerior right leg removed at trochanter ivhen 1 dag old. 



Age 28 days. — A miniature limb has developed in place 



of the lost one. It is about a third the size of 



normal, and is almost colourless. 

 Age 45 days. — The new limb is about two-thirds the 



size of normal. The fourth farsal segment is 



rudimentary. 

 Age 62 days. — Upon completion of first ecdysis.— There 



is no apparent change in the form of the new limb. 



No further exjjeriments were made, but there is room 

 for much more work on this subject. 



17. Simulation oe Death in the Newly-hatciieu. 



On several occasions, upoji removitig cover from boxes 

 in which insects had hatched a few hours previously, they 

 were seen to draw up the legs and antennae and instantly 

 assume the characteristic attitude of an adult specimer). 



18. Mortality. 



A certain proportion of individuals in any batch hatched 

 always died at an early stage from no apparent cause. A 

 few would show abdominal malformathms after attahiing 

 maturity, and such individuals were not usually long-lived. 



Mortality from unknown causes was exhibited in batches 

 reared in the same cage or box. This pointed to sonie 

 inherent weakness in the individual, a factor of j)i'(>bable 

 importance in reducing the numbers of many species of 

 insects. The insect may be less resistant to the attacks 

 of bacteria and more sensitive to changes of tenipcjature, 

 etc. 



ly. Variation and Parthenogenesis. 



The high degree of protective resemblance exhibited by 

 Stick Insects is probably the result of severe competition 

 in the struggle for existence. A further protection is given 

 to the species by the power of parthenogenetic reproduction. 



The "Teat deirree of variation shown to exist in these 



