LIFE PROCESSES 



13 



3. Life Processes of the Grasshopper. — The young grass- 

 hopper must escape being eaten, must find food, must have 

 oxygen to breathe, must develop into an adult, and must 

 do its part in providing for another generation of grass- 

 hoppers. If the grasshopper fails in any one of the first 

 three of these necessities, it is unable to live, and conse- 

 quently the last and most important work, that of provid- 

 ing for the next generation, is not possible. 



LABORATORY STUDY 



Examine a live grasshopper. What are its means of locomotion ? 

 Compare its jump with its length. If in the same proportion, how far could 

 a man six feet tall jump ? How does the grasshopper obtain food ? What 

 protection from enemies does it gain from its color ? Notice the divi- 

 sion of the body into three regions ; head, thorax (tho'raks) which has 

 wings, and abdomen (ab-do'men). When the living grasshopper is held 

 between the thumb and finger, it " spits molasses." This is the partially 

 digested food from its crop. 



4. Protection — When we look closely at the grass- 

 hopper, we find that it is provided with many character- 



N>7U.'oU!. 



J/bdomen 



PntT.-rax 



Figure 7. — Diagram. 

 Showing the main parts of the grasshopper. 



istics which prevent its being caught and eaten. The 

 most important of these are its color and markings. 

 When a grasshopper jumps into the grass and remains 



