MEANS OF DEFENCE OF INSECTS. 99) 
Other insects, of various tribes, represent the leaves 
of plants, living, decaying, and dead; some in their 
colour, and some both in their colour and shape. The 
caterpillar of a moth (Noctua Ligustri, ¥.) that feeds 
upon the privet, is so exactly of the colour of the un- 
derside of the leaf, upon which it usuaily sits in the day- 
time, that you may have the leaf in your hand and yet 
not discover it?.—'ihe tribe of grasshoppers, called 
Locuste by Fabricius, though the true Locust does not 
belong to it, in the veining, colour, and texture of their 
elytra, resemble green leaves’,—The genera Mantis 
and Phasma—named praying-insects and spectres—also 
of the Orthoptera order, often exhibit the same pecu- 
liarity.—Others of them, by the spots and mixtures of 
colour observable in these organs, represent leaves that 
are decaying in various degrees.— Those of several species 
of Mantzs likewise imitate dry leaves, and so exactly, by 
their opacity, colour, rigidity, and veins, that, were no 
other part of the animal visible, even after a close exami- 
nation, it would be generally affirmed to be nothing buta 
dry leaf. Of this nature is the Manizs siccifolia, F., and 
two or three Brazilian species in my cabinet, that seem 
undescribed, which I will show you when you give me an 
opportunity. But these imitations of dry leaves are not 
confined to the Orthoptera order solely. Amongst the 
Hemiptera, the Coreus paradoxus, ¥., a kind of bug, sur- 
prised Sparrman not a little. He was sheltering himself 
from the mid-day sun, when the air was so still and calm 
@ Brahm Insekten Kalender, ii. 383. 
b Hence we have Locusta citrifolia, laurifolia, camellifolia, myrtifolia, 
salvifolia, &c. 
