True Tales of the Insects

Katydids.

Amid the teeming exuberant insect orchestra ot the American fields in autumn may be heard the notes of the Katydids, the most notorious of the singing Locustids American. There are several species of—essentially belong, indeed, to several genera—but thethem—they song of all is supposed to suggest, more or less, the words of their popular name. Katy-did, katy-did, or, with variations, " O-she-did, katy-did-she-did," vociferates the garrulous " testy little dogmatist." Green leapers from leaf to leaf and from branch to branch, they might far more appropriately be called tree-vaulters than grasshoppers. Riley thus describes the music of the Angular-winged Katydid, Microccntriiin rctiiiervc, the

:commonest species in the Western and Southern States " The first notes from this katydid are heard about the middle of July, and the species is in full song by the first of August. The wing-covers are partially opened by a sudden jerk, and the notes produced by the gradual closing of the same. The song consists of a series of from twenty-five to thirty raspings, as of a stiff quill drawn across a coarse file. There are about five of these raspings or trills per second, all alike, and with equal intervals, except the last two or three, which, with the closing of the wing-covers, run into each other.

I50 TRUE TALES OF THE INSECTS.

The whole strongly recalls the slow turning of a child's wooden rattle, ending by a sudden jerk of the same."

From the setting of the sun till he begins to shed his rays in the East, these noisy choristers, during their most active period, will have it, with never an hour's re-species being so numerousmission, that " Katy did "—the that the sound as it comes from the woods is one prolonged rattling. Scudder states that these katydids sing both by day and night, but their day song differs from that of the night. " On a summer's day it is curious to observe these little creatures suddenly changing from the day to the night song at the mere passing of a cloud, and returning to the old note when the sky is clear. By imitating the two songs in the daytime, the grasshoppers can be made to respond to either at will; at night, they have but one note."

These Insects make quite Interesting Pets.

As with the species of the Amazon valley, they make interesting pets; they are even susceptible to domestication to a slight extent. Commendably neat in their ways, one of the most curious habits is an incessant polishing of the wings, legs, and antennce. Riley says M. retinerve brushes its face over with the front legs, just as a cat washes herself with her fore paws, and bestows

FIG. 26.—Cymatomera monstrosa, one of the most remarkable of the Locustidæ, from Java.

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GREEN GRASSHOPPERS (LOCUST/D.E). r53

as much care on its long, graceful antenna; as many a maiden does upon her abundant tresses, the antennae being drawn between the jaws and smoothed by the palpi, with evident satisfaction. But, in time, in his experience, confinement produces disastrous effects. He reared three successive broods in captivity, and, after the first year, the insects gradually deteriorated, so that the

failedeggs of the third generation— the fourth spring-to hatch.

These katydids feed upon the foliage of the trees

:which they inhabit, but are rarely injurious to plants Locustidse are less exclusively herbivorous than the Acrid iidse are; many seem to partake of a mixed diet. A large number are believed to be entirely carnivorous, fewer to be solely phytophagous. It occasionally happens that they increase to large numbers in Europe, and in America in the case of a member ot the genus Anabrus, which is sometimes destructive to crops.

The Tegmina resemble Leaves.

Many insects of this family are of a green colour, in assimilation to that of their habitat; the green of Locusta vii'idissuna is wonderfully similar to that of the herbage amongst which it lives. The wing-covers in many present a most singular resemblance to leaves,

colour, veining, shape, and appearance generally, being very leaf-like. Katydids have beautiful green and opaque fore-wings, like the leaves of trees, and display characteristic leaf-like veinings, which afford them protection from observation, and thus safety. There can be no doubt that the plant-like appearance of some of the Locustidae renders it most difficult to detect them in their native haunts. It is well known how these insects may attest their presence in considerable numbers in the immediate neighbourhood by their song, and yet it may be almost impossible to succeed in tracino^ the sound to its source, even in a single instance. This resemblance of the tegmina to leaves is carried to the highest possible pitch of perfection in Locustidae. It is in the exotic genus Pterochroza, of South America, that the phenomenon is most marked (see Fig. 24). The tegmina in the species of this genus, in form and in tint, look exactly like withered leaves. In some of the species the wing-covers not only display the different shades of colour of dry leaves, but markings due to cryptogamic growths on leaves are reproduced. Not only this, transparent spots and tracks are present, like those on leaves due to the mining of insects. When settled, their tegmina closed, such insects are provided with perfect disguise. Nor is this family entirely destitute of active means

of defence. For some, like the PhasmidLt, there is a more direct safeguard than mimicr)^ The Algerian Biigaster guyonii, if seized, ejects two jets of an orange-coloured caustic liquid from two pores situate on the sides of the mesosternum, and behind the coxae of the front legs. A second, though feebler, discharge can be made, and sometimes a third; but then it has generally exhausted its store, and some time must elapse ere it has the defensive Huid again at command. This species may sometimes be heard making a low, brief sound, unlike ordinary forms of stridulation

Some Locustidae present a resemblance to Phasmidae; this, however, has only been found in a few species. The long slender form and hind legs and long narrow tegmina give Frochilns australis a great resemblance to some of the winged Phasmidse; while another Locustid, native to Australia, from its long and linear body and the entire absence of alar organs, looks like an apterous Walking-Stick. Saussure calls attention to the slender stick-like forms in the genus Peringueyella of South Africa. This genus belongs to the tribe Sagides; and, at first sight, one might almost mistake their extraordinary appearance for that of some Tryxalides.

Cave Dwellers.

There are other species particularly interesting for their strano-e habit of dwellinsf in caves. Whether found in the celebrated Mammoth and other caves of Kentucky, in New Zealand, or in Europe, they have a great general resemblance. Look at the enormously long antennae and legs of Dolichopoda palpata, and its complete absence of wings (see Fig. 25). Many of the largest and most singular forms of Locustidse are distinguished for their constantly apterous condition, and these often have an unprepossessing aspect. The curious genus Anostostoma, with large head, and immensely developed mouth, armed with gigantic mandibles, certainly does not fall behind the rest in this respect.

Of the Ctirioiis Gcmis Dcinacrida.

Allied to it are the interesting Wetas, a group inhabiting New Zealand. Dcinacrida heteracantlia, the great forest Weta, the " Weta-punga " of the New Zealand natives, is a remarkable insect. Formerly it was very abundant in the woods north of Auckland, but of late years has become extremely rare, the Maoris

attributing its extermination to the introduced Norway rat. This giant species may measure over two and a half inches in length, and when the hind legs and antennae are stretched out, it may be more than fourteen inches. Probably it subsists chiefly on the green leaves of trees and shrubs; Sir VV. Duller remembers, in ridinof between Mangakahia and Whano-arei, having caught a pair of Wetas on a low tree, where they seemed to be feeding on the young- leaves. Although bulky and wingless, yet, as he tells us,* the insect climbs with agility, and is sometimes found on the topmost branches of lofty trees. When disturbed it produces a clicking noise, accompanied by a slow movement of the hind legs. " When taken it kicks or strikes backwards with its long hind legs, which are armed with double rows of sharp spurs; and unless dexterously seized will not fail to punish the offender's hand, the prick of its spurs causing an unpleasant stinging sensation." Killing them, so as not to injure the specimens, is difficult; and in one instance an attempt was made to drown a specimen in cold water, but it was found, after four days' immersion, as lively and active as ever.

A smaller species, D. thoracica, lives in decayed wood, into which it bores; and a third, D. megacephala, is characterized by a head and mandibles of exaggerated size in the male.

• Zoologist, 1867; Trans. N. Zeal. Inst., 1894, vol. xxvii.

A perfectly new species (/?. brougJii), from Nelson, was reported in 1895. Apparently, it frequents dense forests, and lives by eating the heart of red-birch trees; it forms great tunnels, with enlargements or chambers, in the growing timber. Judging by the ways and doings of one of these Wetas in captivity, it is nocturnal in its habits; it became quite lively at night, and at times emitted a chattering kind of sound, which may be heard at night in the woods. It could bite fiercely, and, when excited, could hiss like an adder. Mr. Brough * found his captive Weta would eat nuts, and occasionally a little bark; but he could never induce it to feed by day. It could apparently, however, see perfectly well in the daylight.

As to the strange large insect Schizodactyhis inon-strosus (see Frontispiece), very little is known. The wings, which have their extremities much prolonged and curled, are a sufficiently remarkable feature; and it has no ocelli, and is believed to be wanting in ears. It is found in India, where it is said to be common in burrows by river banks, and has been recently reported as injuring young tobacco and other crops growing on high ground in Durbhunga, by cutting their roots. The local name given for the insect v/as bherwa.

• Tr. N. Zeal. Ins/., 1895.

Eumegalodon idcr.

Amongst the most remarkable of the Locustidre are the species now forming- the genus Eumegalodon, and the tribe Eumegalodonidae. The ovipositor is long and sabre-shaped; the legs seem hardly in keeping with the heavy insect; the thighs indicate its addiction to climbing rather than to leaping exclusively (see Fig. 26). It was Brongniart who changed the name Megalodon into Eumegalodon; the genus Megalodon is placed by some naturalists among the curious Conocephalides.

LEPIDOPTERA M

CHAPTER VIII.

A

What measure could mete our indebtedness to Apuleius for his charming of the loveHest myths of story—one later of the union of Cupid and Psyche? antiquity— Apuleius introduces it into a playful satire on the follies and vices of the day, consisting- of an elaborate romance, the " Metamorphoses," or " Golden Ass," so called probably from its affinity to the " Ass " of Lucian, the epithet " Golden " beinQ^ added as a mark of admiration; but

the best known, and by far the most beautiful, of the numerous episodes with which the work is interspersed, the fable of Psyche, is not derived from any source with which we are at present acquainted. Again the pretty tale, which, with seeming incongruity, is placed in the mouth of an old hag, will bear re-telling.