224 CONFESSIONS OF A BEACHCOMBER 



habits themselves, resort to all manner of disguises and 

 devices to elude their enemies and lure their prey. Nearly 

 all furnish striking examples of colour protection. One 

 variety of the mantis here is black and rugged, and is to be 

 found only on charred wood. The wing-cases present the 

 characteristic grain and glint of fresh charcoal, distinctly 

 showing the influence of the condition of its environment. 

 Another is grey, to match its groundwork of dead wood ; 

 another brown and slightly hairy, to coincide with the bark 

 of the particular eucalyptus upon which it lurks. Another, 

 and the most graceful, resembles two bright green leaves, 

 the midrib and the nerve system being imitated perfectly. 



Among the most singular is one of the stick insects 

 {Phasmd). A fair specimen may be a foot and more long. 

 The body presents the general appearance of a dry stick ; 

 the posterior legs, held at different and erratic angles to 

 the grey and brown body, are as sunburnt twigs ; the inter- 

 mediary pair seem to be used primarily as supports. The 

 anterior are stretched out to their fullest extent parallel to 

 each other, and so close together as to resemble one taper- 

 ing termination, with the head closely packed between the 

 thighs, in each of which is a complementary depression for 

 its accommodation. When the insect is motionless it is 

 difficult to detect. By its long posterior legs, stiffly held 

 aloft, it proclaims to every bird — " Do not be so absurd as 

 to imagine these dry twigs to be legs, belonging to a 

 body good to eat." And if the bird does not take the 

 resemblance for granted and is inquisitive and approaches 

 too familiarly, it finds that instead of a dinner it has dis- 

 covered a snake. The insect seems to say — " I am a stick ! 

 Look at the twigs. No, I am a snake ! Long live the 

 serpent ! " 



The long, slender anterior legs — used more frequently as 

 arms than as legs — form the tapering tail ; the other end is 

 the head with mouth open, ready for action — eyes and jaws 

 and protruding tongue complete. This end sways as does 

 the head of an excited snake, and curves round as if to 

 strike, and the boldest of little birds fly off with a note of 



