14 



THE GRASSHOPPER 



ibru 



abrum 



ndibU 



mandible 



ndiblf 



mandible 



'.;) nupo pharynx 



quiet, its color so closely resembles the grass and the 

 sticks that many of its enemies overlook it. This is an 

 example of what is called protective coloration. The grass- 

 hopper is further protected by a pair of large eyes and by 

 simple ears which are located on the side of the body. By 

 means of these sense organs, it becomes aware of the 

 presence of enemies. The quickness of grasshoppers in 

 jumping also helps them to escape being eaten. 



5. Food Getting. — The grasshopper has little difficulty 

 in finding its food. It eats leaves, and particularly the 



leaves of grass. It does 

 not need a keen sense of 

 smell, as does the bee 

 which must search for 

 flowers. However, the 

 grasshopper has special 

 smelling organs located 

 in its antennas (£n- 

 ten'e), those long feelers 

 which grow out from 

 the head like soft horns. 

 The mouth parts 

 which cut and chew the 

 food consist of an upper 

 lip and two teeth (mandibles, man'di-b'ls). The teeth 

 are moved by powerful muscles which nearly fill the 

 head. These mandibles work from side to side, instead 

 of up and down as our teeth do. They are so effective 

 that sometimes when grasshoppers become numerous 

 they strip the grass of all its leaves, and even destroy 

 growing fields of grain. 



6. Breathing. — All animals have some way of getting 

 oxygen to every portion of their bodies and of getting rid 

 of carbon dioxide. The grasshopper has no lungs such as 



( in 





maxilla 



maxi ila 



biu 



a bium 



Figure 8. — Mouth Parts of the 

 Grasshopper. 



