ORTHOPTERA. 29 1 



Acaiithops, a genus of this family, inhabits the Brazils. 



Akin to the Mantis are the Eroniaphilce, which live in the deserts 

 of Africa and Arabia. They drag themselves gently along on the 

 ground, and as they are the same colour as the sand on which they 

 are found, it is very difficult to distinguish them when at rest. The 

 traveller, Lefebvre, relates that he always found these Orthoptera in 

 places destitute of all vegetation, and where there were no other sorts 

 of insects which could have served them for food; it is therefore 

 probable that they live on microscopic insects. 



The Empiisa^ which forms another genus of Mantidce, has the 

 antennae indented like a comb in the males, thread-like in the 

 females. The Empiisa gongylodes, which inhabits Africa, has cufis to 

 its arms and flounces to its robe. 



The genus Blepharis, to which belongs the Bhpharis mendica^ is 

 met with in Egypt, Arabia, and in the Canary Islands. This insect, 

 which is of a pale green, is not rare in the south of France. It is 

 represented with the Alafitis religiosa in Fig. 302. 



The Phasniata, or Spectres, are distinguished from the Mantida 

 by their very elongated bodies, straight and stiff as a stick, by their 

 having no prehensile legs, and by their food, which is exclusively 

 vegetable. Their eggs are laid uncovered, having no silky envelope. 

 As for the habits of these insects, they are little known, the greatest 

 number of the species being exotics, inhabiting chiefly South America, 

 Asia, Africa, and New Holland. It is in this tribe that we meet the 

 most extraordinary and the most monstrously shaped insects, as the 

 popular names they have received in different countries show : such 

 IS Spectres, Phantoms, Devil's Horses, Soldiers of Cayenne, Walking 

 Leaves, Animated Sticks, &c. 



Among the Phasmata we also find the largest insects known, for 



t'hey attain a considerable length, Phasma gigas nearly reaching a 

 bot. The most beautiful are those of New Holland and of Tasmania, 

 lUch as Cyphocrana {Phasma) gigas. 

 Some species are destitute of wings, and resemble so exactly dry 

 sticks that it is impossible to tell the difference. The best known is 

 he Bacillus (Phasma) Rossia (Fig. 303), which is found in the south 

 )f France. This inoffensive insect walks gently along the branches 

 )f trees, and likes to repose in the sun, its long antennae-like legs 

 htretched out in front. Others of the genus Phy Ilium are provided 

 Ivith wings, and have altogether the ap))earance of the leaves on 

 vhich they live ; such are the Walking Leaves of the East Indies. 

 According to Cunningham, all these insects are of solitary and 

 Deaceable habits. They are only to be met with alone or m pairs, 



