STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 407 



GRAPE. LEAVES. 



every reader. And this song is thus continued without the slightes-t 

 variation and without any cessation, I think, the whole night 

 through. I however have sometimes heard it at the first com- 

 mencement of its evening serenade uttering three syllables resem- 

 bling the words treaty treat, two; treat, treat, two — as though the 

 songster was supplicating a libation for his voiceless female mate 

 as well as himself — a longer pause following each third note. 

 This prelude is probably performed in limbering or otherwise 

 adjusting his organs, preparatory to performing the regular carol, 

 which is struck into in a few moments. 



It merits, in passing, to be remarked, that wliilst the song of 

 the common cricket of the eastern continent aids in producing 

 sleep and has been so much valued on account of this property 

 tliat it has in some countries been made an article of traffic, and 

 inclosed in cages is placed in the dormitory, the song of our 

 flower cricket has exactly the opposite effect. Occasionally, from 

 vines growing in front of the window, one of these little musicians 

 will find his way into the bed-chamber, when, as Dr. Harris 

 observes, his incessant and loud shrilling will effectually banish 

 sleep. Perhaps the lodger out of all patience at last gets up and 

 makes for the spot from whence the annoyance proceeds; but the 

 song abruptly ceases with his approach. He however fumbles 

 around in the dark, beating upon the wall high and low, and 

 probably encountering an unexpected number of chairs and w^ash- 

 stands, till he flatters himself he has destroyed his tormenter or 

 has at least frightened him into silence for the rest of the night. 

 Then returning to his pillow and adjusting himself again for 

 sleep, he is able to exult in the sweet stillness that pervades the 

 apartment, for a moment only, before the same execrable creaking 

 breaks forth again as shrill and vigorous as before. 



Many persons have noticed the catydid when singing, so far as 

 to see that it is by rubbing its hind legs against the outer sides of 

 its wing covers that its stridulation is proiluced. In the cricket, 

 however, the hind legs are much shorter, and here we find that it 

 is not by them but by raising its wing covers slightly so as to rub 

 the under surface of one of them against the inner edge of tho 

 other that its song is caused. As the flower crickets have long 

 slender hind legs similar to those of the catydids, we might sus- 



