GRYLLODEA. 119 



talpidae. Two only- -Gryllus domesticus and Gri/llotalpa 

 gryllotalpa--a.re recorded from Scotland. Western 

 Europe has a far more representative list. 



Between the Gryllodea and the next sub-order- -the 

 Locustodea- -there is a somewhat close connection. 

 The " musical ' organs are similarly situated, and in 

 each the female has in general an exserted ovipositor ; 

 but on the other hand the tarsal segments are different 

 in number, and the form of the elytra is not the same 

 in both. This sub-order, however, would form a very 

 natural group were it not for the Tridactylidae and the 

 Gryllotalpidae, neither of which has an ovipositor, while 

 the former has short antennae. Since the Gryllotalpidaa 

 live underground, their forelegs are so modified as 

 to become efficient digging organs, resembling quite 

 noticeably those of the " mole ' itself. (This modifica- 

 tion of the forelegs is shared with the Tridactvlidaa.) 



9- 



Speaking of British species primarily, the broad 

 rounded vertex of the head is not separated from the 

 " fore-head ' by a furrow as in the Locustodea. The 

 veining of the elytra is somewhat difficult to folloAr. 

 Especially is this the case in species where the elytra 

 are much altered by reduction, as in our wood-cricket 

 (Neinobius sylvestris) and in the mole-cricket (Gryllo- 

 talpa gryllotalpa). Further complications of a con- 

 fusing character are introduced in the case of the males, 

 in that the basal parts of the elytra are modified to 

 produce a stridulating instrument, which constitutes 

 the " musical " apparatus. Fortunately the elucidation 

 of the nervuration is not necessary for discriminating" 



/ *_V 



the four British species, which are so very dissimilar. 



Both elytra are similar, the right usually lying upon 

 the left, the contrary being the general arrange- 

 ment in the Orthoptera. The wings are very different 

 from the elytra, being ample and delicate. They are 

 frequently rolled up at the apex, these portions having 

 the appearance of a pair of additional cerci,and possibly 

 being capable of use as sensory organs. The cerci 

 themselves are not segmented, but are often very long 



