DOMESTIC, FIELD, AND MOLE CRICKETS. 15 



grasshopper of England to be "an excellent condiment." 

 One species of gryllus, called the " Carnivorous/'"* is indeed 

 (as the name imports) even more of an animal than a vege- 

 table feeder, as divers other insects, especially caterpillars, 

 have discovered to their cost. 



This, as well as the green, is a large handsome sort ; but 

 few people, to look at the insignificant size and sober colouring 

 of most of our British grasshoppers, would expect to find 

 amongst foreigners of their tribe, Asiatic, African, and Ame- 

 rican, some of the most splendid and curious of insects, 

 rivalling even the Lepidoptera in the size and colouring of their 

 wings of which some are ocellated, or eyed, others leaf-like, 

 others combining under one the singularity of the leaf insect 

 with the bright hues of an eyed butterfly. 



The Cricket, like the grasshopper, has long slender auteimse, 

 but is distinguished from the latter by a thick roundish head, 

 instead of one more or less pointed. 



The most generally known of the Aehetida, or Cricket 

 family, in England, are those called the " Domestic," the 

 " Field," and the " Mole." The singular form and habits of 

 the last will be noticed in another place ; and we have long 

 ago described briefly the most salient points in the character 

 of the fire-side chirper. His country cousin of the field is, 

 like himself, known much more generally by sound than 

 sight ;t for, being of a shy, unsocial temper, it is not often 



* Acrida verrucivora, t See Vignette. 



