Insect Study 



365 



THE GRASSHOPPER 



Teacher's Story 



ECAUSE the grasshopper affords special facilities 

 for the study of insect structure, it has indeed 

 become a Vjurden to the students in the labora- 

 tories of American universities. But in nature- 

 study we must not make anything a burden, 

 least of all the grasshopper, which being such a 

 famous jumper as well as flier, does not long 

 voluntarily burden any object. 



Since we naturally select the most salient 

 characteristic of a creature to present first to 

 young pupils, we naturally begin this lesson with 

 the peculiarity which makes this insect a "grass- 

 hopper." When any creature has unusually strong 

 hind legs, we may be sure it is a jumper, and the 

 grasshopper shows this peculiarity at first glance. The front legs are 

 short, the middle legs a trifle longer, but the femur of the hind leg is 

 nearly as long as the entire body, and contains many powerful muscles 

 which have the appearance of being braided, because of the way they are 

 attached to the skeleton of the leg; the tibia of the hind leg is long and as 

 stiff as if made of steel. When getting ready to jump the grasshopper 

 lowers the great femur below the level of the closed wings and until the 

 tibia is parallel with it and the entire foot is pressed against the ground. 



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Grasshopper with parts of external anatomy named. 



