THE WALKING-STICK INSECTS. 301 



all cases where wings are present, these organs are " plicated " 

 longitudinally in a multitude of folds, each fold being very- 

 narrow towards the base, and increasing regularly in width 

 towards the edge ; so that when the wings are closed, all the 

 folds lie exactly on each other in a single line, precisely like 

 the folds of a fan. 



Indeed, it is hardly possible for an entomologist to see a fan 

 without recognising its origin in the wing of a Phasma. Each 

 wing thus lies along the body of the insect, and, in consequence 

 of its neat folds, does not break the continuous outline of the 

 stick-shaped insect. The delicate membrane of the wing, how- 

 ever, needs some protection, and this is found in the outermost 

 fold, which is stiff and stout, and, when the wing is closed, lies 

 over and protects the wing just as the outermost " stick " of a 

 fan protects the delicately-painted folds of the fan itself. 



Ouk first example of the Phasmidse is represented in the 

 illustration on the next page, and is known to naturalists by the 

 name of Phibalosoma pythonius. The former of these two terms 

 is composed of two Greek words signifying " fig-bodied," perhaps 

 because the insect bears some resemblance to the young branch 

 of a fig-tree. The latter of the words is also taken from the 

 Greek, and signifies the gigantic serpent of mythology which 

 was slain by Apollo. 



Certainly the creature deserves its name, for it is a " big 

 thing." One of these insects which I have measured is as thick 

 as a man's thumb, and is fifteen inches in length when its legs 

 are stretched out according to its custom when living. So 

 gigantic an insect could not be represented of its full size, and 

 the artist has therefore been obliged to reduce it considerably. 

 But if the reader wishes to form some idea of the size of this 

 enormous insect, let him take a rule, measure a length of fifteen 

 inches, and draw the creature on that scale, taking care to re- 

 present the body as thick as the thumb of an ordinary man. 

 It is scarcely possible to get these gigantic creatures into an ordi- 

 nary entomological drawer ; and when, after much doubling up 

 of their legs and folding back of their antennas, they are com- 

 pressed within the needful limits, they must be supported by a 

 double row of pins throughout their entire length, and each 

 limb must be separately kept in its place by pins and braces, 



