STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 405 



GRAPE. LEAVES. 



genus is of a conic form and narrower towards the head than at 

 the opposite end, and Serville repeats this, as being one of the 

 most prominent characters whereby the insects of this genus may 

 be distinguished. But, as we shall see, the form of the thorax 

 varies greatly with the species, and approaches a conic form in 

 only one of our American flower crickets. The other marks, 

 however, which we have stated above, will suffice for readily dis- 

 tinguishing the insects of this genus. 



In their habits they also differ remarkably from other crickets. 

 The observation of Latreille, that they dwell upon plants and are 

 pleased with flowers, applies with considerable exactness to our 

 American species, which may be met with in autumn quite com- 

 mon upon the flowers of the golden vod{ Solid a go), and in August 

 I have noticed them on rose buslies, several individuals beinpc 

 sometimes seen on one bush. It was from this statement of 

 Latreille that Serville gave the generic name (Ecanthus to these 

 insects, this name being formed from two Greek words, implying 

 " I dwell in flowers." But any situation where the foliage is 

 dense, furnishing them a cool shady hiding place, appears to be 

 what they particularly desire, as they occur quite frequently on 

 grape vines, on young oaks and other bushes, where no flowers 

 are near them. All other crickets it will be recollected reside 

 upon the ground, in holes under stones, and similar situations. 

 And it has been noticed of these insects and tlieir kindred, that 

 a peculiarity in the structure of their feet appeared to be essen- 

 tial to adapt them for the situations in which they reside — tlie 

 catydids and other insects which dwell upon shrubbery havinp; 

 soft flat cushion-like soles to their feet, to enable them to cliiis: to 

 the stalks and leaves of plants, whilst in the crickets and other 

 insects which reside upon the ground no such structure exists, 

 (Westwood, Introd. i, 441.) The flower crickets, however, appear 

 to present an exception to this rule. They always reside upon 

 plants, elevated from the ground, and yet the under sides of their 

 feet are simple and merely covered densely with bristles, like 

 those of other crickets. But perhaps this is no just exception to 

 the rule stated. Tliougli tliey dwell on plants, they do not 

 travel about upon them, but remain stationary, each one in 

 his own chosen abode, day after day. So I infer, from having 



