35 MANUAL OF ZOOLOGY. 



This order includes a number of well-known insects, most 

 of which are vegetable-feeders. Some of the Orthoptera, such 

 as the Cockroaches (Blattidce, fig. 183) have slender legs, and 

 are adapted for running (cursorial). Others are suited for 

 walking, and are said to be gressorial. Amongst these are the 

 Mantides, with their great raptorial front-legs, and the singular 

 Walking Leaves and Stick -insects (the Phasmidce). Others, 

 again, are saltatorial, having the hind -legs elongated and 

 adapted for leaping. In this section are the Crickets and 

 Mole-crickets (Gryllidce. or Achctid(Z\ and the Grasshoppers 

 and Locusts (Acridiidce. and Locustidce). The Saltatory Ortho- 

 ptera are all vegetable - feeders, and whilst many of them 

 commit serious depredations upon green crops and grass, the 



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Fig. 184. Migratory Locust ((Edipoda inigiatoria). 



ravages of the Migratory Locust (CEdipoda migratoria, fig. 184) 

 are in this respect unrivalled. Finally, there is a small section 

 of the Orthoptera, which includes the Earwigs (Forficulidtz], 

 and which has been raised to the rank of a distinct order 

 under the name of Euplexoptera. In this group, the last 

 segment of the abdomen carries a pair of nippers, and the 

 anterior wings are very short, the posterior wings are mem- 

 branous, and are folded up both longitudinally and trans- 

 versely, being useless for flight. 



ORDER VII. NEUROPTERA (Odonata). Mouth ustially mas- 

 ticatory ; wings, four in number, all membranous, generally 

 nearly equal in size, traversed by numerous delicate nervures, hav- 

 ing a longitudinal and transverse direction, and giving them a 

 reticulated, lace-like aspect. Metamorphosis generally incomplete, 

 rarely complete. The larva active, hexapod, the pupa active or 

 quiescent. 



The order Neuroptera includes a number of Insects which 

 are so different in their characters, habits, and metamorphoses, 

 that they are sometimes placed in three separate and special 



