310 MOTIONS OF INSECTS. 



chestes and Ramphus ; the whole tribe of skippers 

 (Haltica), and the splendid Asiatic tribe of Sagra*, 

 &c. The object of these disproportioned and clumsy 

 thighs is to allow space for more powerful muscles, 

 by which the tibiae, whfcn the legs are unbent, are im- 

 pelled with greater force. In the Orthoptera order 

 all the grasshoppers, including the genera Gryllotalpa ,- 

 Gryllm ; Tridactylus , Locusta ; Acrida ; Pterophylla ; 

 Pneumora ; Truxalis ; Acrydium ; Tetrix, &c. are 

 distinguished by incrassated posterior thighs; which 

 however are much longer, more tapering and shapely, 

 (they are indeed somewhat clumsy in the two first ge- 

 nera, the crickets,) than those of most of the Coleoptera 

 that are furnished with them. When disposed to leap, 

 these insects bend their hind leg so as to bring the 

 shank into close contact with the thigh which has 

 often a longitudinal furrow armed with a row of spines 

 on each side to receive it. The leg being thus bent, 

 they suddenly unbend it with a jerk, when pushing 

 against the plane of position, they spring into the air 

 often to a considerable height and distance. A locust, 

 which however is aided by its wings, it is said will leap 

 two hundred times its own length b . Aristophanes, in 

 order to make the great and good Athenian philosopher, 

 Socrates, appear ridiculous, represents him as having 

 measured the leap of a flea c . In our better times sci- 

 entific men have done this without being laughed at for 

 it, and have ascertained that, comparatively, it equalled 

 that of the locust, being also two hundred times its 

 length. Being effected by muscular force, without the 



a Oliv. Entom. n. 90, t. i. " Swamm. Bibl. Nat. Ed. Hill, i. 123. b. 

 Aristoph. Nubes, Act. i. Sc. 2. 



