Among the more interesting species we may mention Cyphocrania semirubra from Brazil, with short greenish elytra and pink wings.
Bacillus rosii is a brown, wingless form found in Italy and the south of France.
Some of the tropical species are among the largest insects known. A winged Australian species attains the length of ten inches.
Lopaphus cocophagus is a common species in the South Sea Islands, and sometimes commits great ravages in the plantations of cocoa-nut trees. When this insect is alarmed it squirts out a highly acrid fluid, which causes great pain, and sometimes blindness if it reaches the eye.
We may remark that no species of Phasmidæ are known to inhabit the British Isles.
Tribe II.—Saltatoria.
The principal character of the insects belonging to this tribe consists in the adaptation of the hind legs to the purpose of leaping.
The males of most of the species possess the faculty of producing loud chirping sounds, but the means by which this is effected vary in the different families.
Family 4, Achetidæ.—The most familiar British insect belonging to this family is the common House Cricket (Acheta domestica). Living, as it does, in the immediate vicinity of the fire, it seems to be totally independent of the changes of the seasons, and may usually be found of all ages at all periods of the year. Crickets are particularly abundant in bakehouses, being extremely partial to warmth. The chirping noise which they produce at night-time is sometimes almost deafening, and it is really surprising from what a very long distance the sound may be heard.