Hopkinsville Kentuckian., 1890-11-14
Eopkimsuille EentufkiatL
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER IA, 1890.
WONDERFUL leAF.InsEcrs.
The Most Marvellous Illustrations of MINI
icry In Nature.

The Most Marvellous Illustrations Of MINI
icry In Nature.
At a recent meeting OF the London
Geological Society for scientific busi-
ness, Mr.. Sclater called attention to o
specimen OF a loaf-insect living In the
society's insect-house, which had been
received from the Seychelles and pre-.
sentod by Lord Walsingham. The leaf
insects, OF which but flw species are
known, belong to the same family (Phds-
imida) 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 loavos 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
leaf-insects are most singular; the head
and part OF the thorsx form a stalk,
while the abdomen. which is fat thin
and much dilated, exactly resembles
leaf. Tho legs, which arc six in num-
Der, have broad, membranous append
ages on the thighs, and these arc espe-
cially noticeable on the forc-legs; the
result being that the creature, while
resting immovablc, has the appearance
OF leaf which has been gnawed on both
sides by q caterpillar. In the insect at
the Zoo this resemblance is most exact
and the illusion Is heightened by tho
coloring. which makes 1t appear slightly
withered at tie 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 heightcning its
resem blanoe to lesf. 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 phasimide, which are
few in number, are large, and covered
with horny she'll, at the end Of which
there is distinct operculum, and are
deposited singly. The insect attains
considerable amount OF develop
Ing before emerging. Mr.. Muir
ray tells us that ''after hAv-
ing reached the form OF six-logged,
jointed insect 1t emerges from the egg
by pushing of the lid. IL 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 q
reddish-yellow, something Of the huo
OF half-dried beech leaf; Tor 1t is to be |
observed that although the color OF
the insect varies at different periods OF |
it's life, 1t always moro or less resem-
bles Leaf at some stage. When 1t
has once settled to eat the leaves on
which 1t is placed, the body speedily
becomes bright groen." Specimens OF |
the leaf-insect arc are not uncommon in
but after death the green
color is lost and the whole insect ac-
luires q 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 tho late
Rev. John Wood. 'specimens have been
hatched in England, have passed into
their perfect state. and lived for some
eighteen months. London Satur day
Review.