GRYLLIDAE 



339 



houses. Usually the wings in the cricket are elongate, and pro- 

 ject backwards from under the tegmina like an additional pair 

 of cerci ; a variety, however, occurs in which these tails are 

 absent, owing to abbreviation of the wings. 



There is no beauty in the appearance of any of the Gryllidae, 

 though many of them are very bizarre in shape. Very few of 

 them venture to leave the surface of the earth to climb on 

 plants. The species of Oecanthus, however, do so, and may be 

 found sitting in flowers. They have a more Locustoid appearance 

 than other Gryllidae. One of the most curious forms of the 

 family is Platyblemmus, a genus of 

 several species found in the Mediter- 

 ranean region, the male of which has 

 the head prolonged into a curious pro- 

 cess (Fig. 211); this varies greatly in 

 development in the males of the same 

 species. It would seem that this organ 

 is of a similar nature to the extra- 

 ordinary structures we have figured iri 

 Locustidae (Fig. 189) and Mantidae 

 (Fig. 136), though it appears impossible 

 to treat the cephalic appendages of Platy- 

 Uemmus as ornamental objects ; their 

 import is at present quite obscure. 



A curious form of variation occurs 



in this family, and is called micropterism by de Saussure ; we 

 have already mentioned its occurrence in the house-cricket. The 

 hind wings, which are usually ample, and frequently have their 

 extremities rolled up and protruding like cerci, are sometimes 

 much smaller in size, and not visible till the tegmina are ex- 

 panded. De Saussure at one time supposed these micropterous 

 individuals to be distinct species ; it is now, however, known 

 that intermediate examples can be found by examining a great 

 many specimens. Some species are always micropterous. 



In Britain we have only four representatives of the Gryllidae, 

 viz. the mole-cricket, the house-cricket, and two field-crickets, 

 one of which, Nemobius sylvestris, is considerably smaller than 

 the house-cricket, while the other, Gryllus campestris, the true 

 field-cricket, is a larger Insect. Its habits have been described 

 in. an interesting manner in Gilbert White's 88th letter. 



head ; B, profile of Insect 



with most of the appendages 



removed. 



