Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1890-10-04
WONDERFUL LEAF-INsEcTs.
The Most Marvellous Illustrations of MINI
icrY in Nature.

The Most Marvellous Illustrations Of MINI
icrY in Nature.
At recent meeting of the London
Geological Society for scientific bust
ness Mr.. Sclater called attention to a
specimen of a leaf-insect living in the
society's insect-house, which had been
received from the Seychelles and pre-
sented by Lord Walsingham. The leaf
insects, of which but few species are
known, belong to the same family (Phds-
z11td01 as the stick-insectS, and both are
marvellous illustrations of mimicry in
nature. They are all nocturnal in their
habits. and spend their days resting on
trees and bushes, the leaves of which
form their food, and their resem-
blance, respectively, to the leaves
and twigs is so extraordinary
that 1t is not surprising that they escape
the observation of their enemies. The
1eaf-insects are most singular; the head
and part of the thorax form stalk,
while the abdomen, which Is fat thin
and much dilated, exactly resembles a
leaf. The legs which are six in num-
Der, have broad, membranous append
ages on the thighs and these are espe-
cially noticeable on the fore-legs; the
result being that the creature, while
resting immovable, has the appearance
Of leaf which has been gnawed on both
sides by a caterpillar. In the insect at
the Zoo this resem blance is most exact
and the illusion is heightened by the
colOring, which makes it appear slightly
withered at the edges. 1t is the habit
OF the insect to hang back downward,
with the abdomen slightly curled up,
and, to quote Mr.. Murray, this habit
brings to light another beautiful con-
trivance for still further frightening its
resemblance TO a leaf. The upper sur
face is Opaque green, the under surface
glossy, glittering green, just the reverse
Of the myrtle or guava leaf, so that by
reversing its position, 1t brings the
glossy side up and the dull side down"
The eggs of the phssimide, which are
few in number, are large, and covered
with horny she'll, at the end of which
there is a distinct operculum, and are
deposited singly. The insect attsins
considerable amount of develop
ing before emerging. Mr.. Muir
ray tells US that latter hsv-
ing reached the form of a six-legged,
jointed insect. 1t energies from the egg
by pushing of the lid. 1t comes out
middle foremost-that is, its head and
tail are packed downward so as to meet
each other. The back between these
first appears, and they are drawn out
next; the legs are extricated last. The
color of the insect at this stage is a
reddish-yellow, something Of the hue
OF half-dried beech leaf; for it is to be
observed that although the color of
the insect varies at different periods of
its life, it always moro or less resem-
bles Leaf at some stage. When it
has once settled to eat the leaves on
which it is placed, the body speedily
becomes bright green" Specimens OF
the leaf-insect are are not uncommon in
collections; but after death the green
color is lost and the whole insect &C
quires yellowiSh-brown tint much the
color Of dry leaf Living specimens,
however, are by no means common, and
we believe the present species to be
even less common than Phyllium sicci-
folium, of which, according to the late
Rev. John Wood, specimens have been
Matched in England, have passed into
their perfect state, and lived for some
eighteen months. London Satur day
Review.