196 BIOLOGY FOR BEGINNERS 



tips bear sense hairs, and perhaps enable the grasshopper to judge of the kind 

 of food he may be eating. 



The "tongue" or hypopharynx in the center, fits closely in the throat and 

 seems to act as a sort of piston in helping to suck in the food particles. 



The labium or lower lip, like the upper one, helps hold the food in place, 

 but is much larger and has a pair of palpi, like those on the maxillae. 



Such mouth parts are typically for biting and chewing and are similar to 

 those found in many beetles, also. 



Part II. The Leaping Leg. 



The two short segments next the body are called the coxa and trochanter. 

 Their function is to give freedom of motion to the base of the leg and to set it 

 out a little from the side of the body so that it can push directly backward in 

 jumping. 



The thick part is the femur and contains some very powerful muscles, though 

 the body muscles also help in jumping. 



The tibia is the long thin part and is provided with backward projecting 

 spines which prevent back sliding and aid in cliirbing through grass. 



The foot consists of several tarsal joints with flexible pads and backward 

 projecting spines which prevent slipping just like the spiked shoes of the human 

 jumper. The claws at the end aid in this and also in climbing. 



The knee and ankle joints move only in one plane, but the joints next the 

 body can move sidewise also. 



Thorax 



The thorax consists of three segments, the pro-, meso- and meta- 

 thorax. The prothorax is a large saddle-shaped segment to which 

 the head is attached and bears the first pair of legs; the middle 

 or mesothorax bears a pair of legs and the first pair of wings; while 

 the last segment (metathorax) bears the leaping legs and the last 

 pair of wings. 



Legs. Each of these six legs consists of five parts or segments, 

 connected by strong joints and adapted for locomotion by walking, 

 while the posterior pair is also enormously developed for leaping. 

 The feet (tarsi) are provided with spines, hooks, and pads to give 

 firm grip when jumping or crawling. A joint near the body almost 

 like a " ball and socket " permits sufficient freedom of motion. 



Wings. The anterior (mesothoracic) wings are long, narrow, 

 and rather stiff. They protect the more delicate under wings and 

 act as planes in aiding flight and leaping. The posterior (meta- 

 thoracic) wings are thin and membranous. They are supported 



