72 
ORTHOPTERA. 
A smaller group of insects, distinct from Mantidce by the small 
prothorax and by the forelegs which are not formed for the capture of 
prey ; they are distinct from the jumping Orthoptera by the hind legs, 
which are not formed for leaping. None of these insects are small, 
whilst some are of great length, four to six inches being the usual size for 
the full grown ones. They present a great variety of form and colour, 
some being stick-like, others leaf-like or resembling a blade of grass, 
while others closely resemble other natural objects. The colour schemes 
bear out this cryptic form and their whole appearance is designed to 
give them so close a resemblance to their habitat that they will escape 
the observation of their foes. 
The antennae are commonly many jointed and long. The head is 
small, and not deflexed. The mesothorax is long, as is usually the meta¬ 
thorax in the elongated species. The legs are long, formed for walking 
and without special structures. The tegmina are small or wholly absent, 
even in forms which have large hindwings. In many species the wings 
are wholly absent either in both sexes, or in the female only. The male 
has claspers at the end of the abdomen, the female a ventral process which 
directs the eggs as they are 
extruded. The differences be¬ 
tween the sexes are often very 
great, the male small, active 
and winged; the female large, 
clumsy and unwinged. 
The eggs are laid singly, 
dropped like seeds upon the 
ground. They are often of 
peculiar form, with very thick 
covering, and closely resembl¬ 
ing hard seeds. Little is known 
of the life history of Indian 
species. The young are similar 
to the adult and are stated to 
develop slowly. There is a line 
of weakness (suture) between 
Fig. 17 -Phyllium scythe, nymph. the trochanter and femur, 
