ORTHOPTERA 



393 





(c) These wing-covers, however, are much thinner than in beetles, 

 and lie less close to the abdomen ; consequently we find that the dorsal 

 portions of the abdominal somites are of much harder consistency than is 

 the case in beetles. 



C. Food. 



In order to observe the structure and habits of the grasshoppers, it 

 Is advisable to take home some of these insects and confine them in a 

 large glass. They are found to consume not only leaves, but also all 

 sorts of insects which are offered them (flies, caterpillars, etc.), and even 

 their fellows of their own species (cannibals). Accordingly, we find their 

 mouth parts adapted, as in beetles (see illustration, p. 341), for biting 

 (masticatory). The head in shape somewhat resembles that of a horse, 

 this resemblance being still 

 further emphasized by the 

 long antennae, which look like 

 the horse's reins. 



SOUND APPARATUS OF GREEN GRASSHOPPER ON 

 ANTERIOR PORTIONS OF WING-COVERS. 



(Magnified about five times.) 



I.F., Left wing-cover, seen from below; r.F., right 

 wing-cover, seen from above. The other letters 

 are explained in the text. 



D. Music. 



If we examine our cap- 

 tured specimens, we notice 

 that in some (females) the 

 end of the thick abdomen is 

 provided with a long sabre - 

 like appendage (ovipositor, 

 see Section E) which is ab- 

 sent in other specimens 

 (males). With a little attention we shall easily discover that the 

 latter only are the musicians, and that the sounds they utter are pro- 

 duced by the base of the left wing-cover being rapidly drawn across the 

 base of the right subjacent wing-cover, just as a bow is drawn across 

 the strings of a fiddle. A closer examination reveals the fact that these 

 portions of the wing-covers in the males possess structures which are 

 absent in the females. On the under side of the left wing-case we 

 observe a strong transverse vein (A.), which under the microscope 

 appears to be finely grooved like a file, while on the right wing-cover we 

 notice a very fine, nearly circular spot (T.), bordered above by thick 

 raised edges (L.), so that the whole structure may be compared to a 

 tambourine. The vein or nerve of the left wing-cover being drawn 

 across this raised border causes the tambourine-like instrument to give 

 forth a sound, a means employed by the male for attracting the " silent " 

 females. (Compare with the song of birds.) Naturally, these notes 



