THE AUSTRALIAN NATURALIST. 109 
tence of the vegetation), acting as a second barrier, the 
first line of defence being fornied by that unsurpassed in- 
digenous sandbinder, Spinifex hirsutus, Labill. The ber- 
ries of L. fichei are about the same size, and have the 
pale semi-transparent appearance reminiscent of the Brit- 
ish ‘‘Mistletoe’’? (Viscum album, Linn.). An excellent 
figure of this species, with carefully drawn detals, may be 
found in Labillardiere’s Plantae Novae Hollandiae, v. 1 
t. 60. \t was grown at Kew, and in other British gardens 
as far back at 1830. The seeds do not germinate readily, 
owing to the hardening of the endocarp during the pro- 
cess of ripening, and for this reason it is usually grown 
from the cuttings. Sowing the seeds while the seed-coat 
is still amenable to pressure by the enclosed cotyledons 
(before it becomes bony) would probably yield favourable 
results. It has a considerable range, but is not often found 
away from the vicinity of the beach. 
PROTECTIVE KESEMBLANCE IN LEAF 
GRASSHOPPERS. 
By Miss Gladys H. Froggatt. 
Which amongst all creatures has such a hard strug- 
gle for existence as a litle insect? It has so many enemies, 
and is, comparatively speaking, so helpless. Birds and 
beasts prey upon its numbers, and so do men; even mem- 
bers of their own tribe prey upon each other. Indeed, 
insects would have a hard time of it were it not for their 
wonderful power of deception and mimicry. 
Nearly all insects are actors to a less or greater de- 
gree. So great is their art of simulation that some, which 
are of most brilliant colours, are not at all easily detected 
among their natural surroundings. 
One of the most wonderful examples of mimicry is 
that of the leaf grasshopper. My specimens here to-night 
come from the Solomon Islands. They are so very like 
the tropical forest leaves among which they live that it is 
well-nigh impossible to distinguish them when at rest 
among the foliage of the trees. 
Being of sturdy build, they would have little chance 
to outstrip a bird upon the wing, so they trust entirely 
to their shape and coloration to escape observation. They 
rest all day, swaying among the leaves, waking to life 
