ORTHOPTERA 



247 



summer and in the autumn by the song of th e males . This song is begun 

 early in the evening and is continued through- 

 out the night ; it consists of a monotonous series 

 of high-pitched trills rhythmically repeated in- 

 definitely. It is a remarkable fact that all of 

 these crickets that are chirping in any locality 

 chirp in unison. Individual singers will stop 

 to rest, but when they start again they keep 

 time with those that have continued the chorus , 

 Except where the true katydid is heard, this is 

 the most conspicuous insect song heard in the 

 night in the regions where this species occurs. 

 This cricket inhabits chiefly high shrubs and 

 trees; it deposits its eggs singly in the bark or 

 cambiiun of trees and bushes. 



While the presence of the snowy tree-cricket 

 is made evident by its song, there is another 

 species that has attracted much attention by 

 its manner of oviposition; this is Qicanthus 

 nigricornis. The female lays her eggs in a 

 longitudinal series in the twigs or canes of 

 various plants (Fig. 265). She selects the rasp- 

 berry more often than any other plant; and 

 as that portion of the cane beyond the incisions 

 made for the eggs usually dies, it often happens 

 that these crickets materially injure the plants. Fig. 265.— Stem of black 

 In such cases the dead canes should be cut out raspberry with the eggs 



1 . J 1 • ^1 • 1 r xi of (Ecanthus mgrtcor- 



and burned early m the sprmg before the eggs „^-^ . ^^ ^^ ggg enlarged. 



hatch. (From Riley.) 



Subfamily GRYLLIN^ 



TJw Field-Crickets 



The field-crickets abound everywhere, in pastures, meadows, and 

 gardens; and certain species enter our dwellings. They lurk imder 

 stones or other objects on the ground or burrow into the earth. 

 They are chiefly solitary, nocturnal insects; yet many can be seen 

 in the fields in the daytime. They usually feed upon plants but are 

 sometimes predacious. With most species the eggs are laid in the 

 autumn, usually in the grotmd, and are hatched in the following 

 summer. The greater number of the old crickets die on the approach 

 of winter; but a few survive the cold season. In many of the species 

 there are both short-winged and long-winged forms. 



This subfamily is represented in our fauna by several genera; 

 but nearly all of our common species are included in the two genera 

 Gryllus and Nemohius. 



