208 



GLEANINGS FROM NATURE. 



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PHASMIDJE. 



Belonging to the family Phasmidce, there occurs in 

 Indiana, as far as known, but one species, the walking- 

 stick, Diapheromera femorata 

 (Say). This insect furnishes 



a most ex- 

 The Walking= , , 



stick. cellent ex- 

 ample of 



adaptation for the purpose 

 of protection: It is wing- 

 less and possesses a long, 

 cylindrical body, resembling- 

 a slender stick with the bark 

 on it. It moves very slowly, 

 arid has a habit of remain- 

 ing motionless and appar- 

 ently dead for a considera- 

 ble length of time. On such 

 occasions it usually stretches 

 itself out from a twig, with 

 its front legs and antennae 

 extended, and then can 

 scarcely be distinguished 

 from a prolongation or 

 branch of the twig. Many 

 people who see them thus 

 for the first time and after- 

 wards watch them moving 

 slowly away, can scarcely 

 be persuaded that they are 

 not real twigs, gifted in some 



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Fig. 45 Walking-stick. 

 (After Liigger.) 



mysterious manner with life and motion. 



