The Insect Folk

by Margaret Warner Morley

I can tell you a little about it, John.

If you look at one of the cockroach's antennæ under the magnifying glass, you will see it is made up of a good many short pieces, or segments, as we call them, fastened together end to end.

Yes, Mollie, that is why it can move about so easily. It can curl up like a whiplash, you see.

Next the head is a round segment that fits into a socket.

Double up your right fist and fit it into the half-closed palm of your left hand.

There! That is like the ball-and-socket joint.

You see you can move your fist around in all directions.

The insect can move its antennæ in all directions because they are fastened to its head by ball-and-socket joints.

On the segments of the antennæ, particularly towards the tip, are little dots.