INSECTS ORTHOPTERA DIAGRAM 6. 



129 



in commerce, presents the appearance of small violet grains which 

 look like seeds, but on examining them carefully, their animal 

 nature is easy to be perceived, especially if they are allowed to 

 soften a little in water. 



ORDER ORTHOPTERA. 



Insects of the order Orthoptera have jaws like Coleoptera ; they 

 have two kinds of wings, but the elytra are soft, and the hind 

 wings are folded like a fan, instead of being folded transversely, 

 like those of Coleoptera. Their metamorphoses are incomplete, 

 as in the order Hemiptera. The Orthoptera, having jaws, cannot 

 suck blood like some of the Hemiptera ; but they are often very 

 formidable to the crops. 



The Forjiculce, or Earwigs, are Orthoptera furnished with a kind 

 of pincers at the end of the abdomen, which they 

 open with a menacing air when irritated, but with 

 which they are incapable of doing any- injury. 

 They live in society, and are very destructive to 

 flowers and fruit, but never get into anyone's ear, 

 as is vulgarly imagined. The internal auditory 

 canal is furnished, in man, with stiff hairs, 

 and an acrid substance, which is generally 



sufficient to prevent any insect from getting 



. . .. Earwig. 



into it. 



The Mole-cricket is so called, partly because it resembles the 

 other crickets, which 

 are Orthoptera, and 

 partly on account of 

 the shape of its fore- 

 legs, which have 

 some resemblance to 

 those of the mole, 



Mole -cricket. 



