CHAPTER VIII 



ORTHOPTERA FORFICULIDAE, EARWIGS HEMIMERIDAE 



Order II. Orthoptera. 



Insects with the mouth parts conspicuous, formed for biting, the 

 four palpi very distinct, the loiver lip longitudinally divided 

 in the middle. The tegmiiia {mesothorctcic wings), of parch- 

 ment-like consistence, in repose closed on the hack of the 

 Insect so ccs to protect it. The metathoracic icings, of more 

 delicate consistence, ample, furnished with radiating or 

 divergent nervures starti7ig from the point of articulation, 

 and tvith short cross nervules forming a sort of network; 

 in repose collcqosing like a fan, and more or less completely 

 covered hy the tegmina {except in certain Phasmidae, where, 

 though the wings are ample, the tegmina are minute, so that 

 the wings are uncovered). In a feiv forms {loinged Forfi- 

 culidae and some Blattidae) the metathoracic wings are, in 

 addition to the longitudinal folding, contracted hy means of 

 one or two transverse folds. The mode of growth of each 

 individual is a gradual increase of size, tvithout any ahrupt 

 change of form, except that the wings are only fully developed in 

 the final condition. There is no special pupal instar. Species 

 in which the wings are cchsent or rudimentary are numerous. 



The Orthoptera are Insects of comparatively large size. The 

 Order, indeed, includes the largest of existing Insects, while none 

 are so minute as many of the members of the other Orders are ; 

 three millimetres is the least length known for an Orthopterous 

 Insect, and there are very few so small, though this is ten times 

 the length of the smallest beetle. The Order includes earwigs, 

 cockroaches, soothsayers or praying-insects, stick- and leaf-insects, 

 grasshoppers, locusts, green grasshoppers, and crickets. 



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