ORDERS OF INSECTS. 



155 



tained the brilliant pigment carmine. The male insect is 

 winged, and is smaller than the female, which is wingless. 

 They live upon different species of Cactus ( Opuntia,) and are 

 mainly imported from Mexico, Algeria, and the Canary Islands. 

 Numerous species of Aphides or Plant-lice (Fig. 65) are 

 known, and they are among the greatest pests of the gar- 

 dener and farmer, as they are extraordinarily prolific, and live 

 upon the juices of plants. One of the most curious points 

 about the Plant-lice is that they secrete a sweet and sticky 

 fluid, which is expelled from the body by two little tubular 

 filaments placed near the end of the 



abdomen. Ants are excessively fond \ / 



of this fluid, and hunt after Aphides 

 in all directions in order to ob- 

 tain it ; and it is a well-established 

 fact that the Plant-lice are actually 

 pleased with this, and voluntarily 

 yield up the coveted fluid to the 

 importunity of the ants. 



ORDER V. ORTHOPTERA (Gr. or- 

 thos, straight ; pteron, wing). The 

 mouth in this order is strictly masti- 

 catory ; there are four wings present 

 in most, but the anterior pair is 

 smaller than the posterior, and of a 

 different texture. The posterior 

 wings are membranous, and are fold- 

 ed lengthwise, like a fan ; the ante- 

 rior wings are leathery, and consti- 

 tute cases for the posterior wings 

 (elytra). This order includes the 

 Crickets (Achetina), Grasshoppers 

 (Gryllina)) Locusts (Locustind), 

 Cockroaches (Blattina, Fig. 66), 

 and others. Some of them are 

 formed for running, all the legs 

 being nearly equal in size ; others 

 have the first pair of legs greatly developed, and constituting 

 powerful organs of prehension ; while others, such as the Lo- 

 custs and Grasshoppers, have the hindmost pair of legs much 

 longer than the others, giving them a considerable power of 

 leaping. All the Orthoptera are extremely voracious, and 

 every one is acquainted with the terrible ravages occasionally 

 caused in hot countries by swarms of locusts. 



FIG. 66. Orthoptera. The com- 

 mon Cockroach (Blatta ori&iita- 

 Us\ male and female. 



