ORTHOPTERA. 



95 



the plants upon which they are. All of the species are carnivorous. 

 They do not pursue their prey, but wait patiently with the front 

 raised like uplifted hands in prayer, until it comes within reach, 

 when they seize it. This position which they as- 

 sume while waiting gives them most of their 

 popular names. The eggs of the Mantidae are 

 laid in clusters on twigs, and encased in a flattened 

 or ootheca (Fig. 90). This differs from the 

 ootheca of the cockroach in being composed of 

 hardened silk. 



The most common species of the Southern 

 States is PJiasinoindntis Carolina. This is shown 

 by Fig. 89. By referring to this figure the un- 

 usual development of the front legs can be seen. 

 The parts of the leg that are most strongly 

 spined are the femur and tibia ; the slender 

 appears as an appendage of the tibia ; 

 and the coxa is so elongated that at first sight 

 it would be mistaken for the femur. 



Family IV. PHASMID^:.* 



Even more grotesque in appearance than the 

 Mantidae are the insects constituting the family F IG. 9o.-E K K-mase 

 I'liasmidiu, and commonly known as Walking-sticks, f (FromUueyT' 



They can be easily recognized by their 



long, linear bodies, furnished with long leijs and antennae. The 

 three pairs of legs are similar in form. Their wini;s. when present, 

 til, or if leaf-like; resembling in some inst.i- 



i other-, those that are dry and withered. The 

 win^l- mble tv 



Walkin are strictly herbivorous ; they are slow in their 



mot; for a loi I in one plai i , I'ln-ir 



.rge, oval, .ind an ground beneath the 



:>on which the ii the female, unlike most ()rt: 



;1. On!. 

 mon in the Nor . This is /^//////v;//*-;, 



* Phftsmidae, Phasma: pkatma (0af<r//<r), a spectre. 



