368 



Hmidbook of Nature-Study 



intruders or robbers may work harm to her progeny. Most species of 

 grasshoppers pass the winter in the egg stage; but sometimes we find in 

 early spring the young ones which hatched in the fall, and they seem as 

 spry as if they had not been frozen stiff. 



UppefllpopiaBrHW 



LESSON LXXX 



The Red-Legged 

 Grasshopper 



Leading thought — ^The grass 

 hopper feeds upon grass and 

 other herbage and is especially 

 fitted for living in grassy fields 

 Its color protects it from being 

 seen by its enemies the birds. 

 If attacked, it escapes by long 

 jumps and by flight. It can 

 make long journeys on the wing. 



Method — The red-legged 

 grasshopper (M. femur-ruhrum) 

 has been selected for this lesson 

 because it is the most common of 

 all grasshoppers, thotigh other 

 species may be used as well. 

 The red-legged locust, or grass- 

 hopper has, as is indicated by its name, the large femur of the hind legs 

 reddish in color. Place the grasshopper under a tumbler and upon a 

 spray of fresh herbage, and allow the pupils to observe it at leisure. It 

 might be well to keep some of the grasshoppers in a cage similar to that 

 described for crickets. When studying the feet, or other parts of the 

 insect requiring close scrutiny, the grasshopper should be placed in a vial 

 so that it may be passed around and observed with a lens. Give the 

 questions a few at a time, and encourage the pupils to study these insects 

 in the field. 



Observations — i. Since a grasshopper is such a high jumper, discover 

 if you can how he does this "event." Which pair of legs is the longest? 

 Which the shortest? How long are the femur and tibia of the hind leg 

 compared with the body. What do you think gives the braided appear- 

 ance to the surface of the hind femur? What is there peculiar about the 

 hind femur? Note the spines at the end of the tibia just behind the foot. 



2. Watch the grasshopper prepare to jump and describe the process. 

 How do you think it manages to throw itself so far? If a man were as 

 good a jumper as a grasshopper in comparison to his size, he could jump 

 300 feet high or 500 feet in distance. Why do you think the grasshopper 

 needs to jump so far? 



3. As the grasshopper climbs up the side of a tumbler or vial, look at 

 its feet through a lens and describe them. How many segments are 

 there? Describe the claws. How does it cling to the glass? Describe 

 the little pad between the claws. 



4. Look the grasshopper in the face. Where are the compound eyes 

 situated? Can you see the tiny simple eyes like mere dots ? How mar y 



The month-parts of a grasshopper 

 dissected off, enlarged and -named. 



