288 TENANTS OF AN OLD FARM. 



rest have the same pecuUarity in their developiueut. 

 These Orthopterous pupre are active and voracious, 

 and increase greatly in size, whicli is not tlia case with 

 insects that are subject to a complete transformation, 

 for such never eat or grow in a pupa state. If you will 

 catch a dozen grasshoppers and locusts at a venture, 

 in a mid-summer field, you may easily notice these 

 differences in size and in the length of wings, showing 

 the adult from the less mature forms. When fully 

 grown the Orthoptera cast off" their skins for the sixth 

 or last time, and then appear in the adult or perfect 

 state, fully provided with all their members, with the 

 exception of a few kinds, which remain wingless. In 

 fact, the slight changes which crickets and all the Or- 

 thoptera undergo in their progress to maturity are 

 nothing more than a successive series of moultings, 

 during which their wings are gradually developed." 



" I have seen it stated," said Abby, " that we have no. 

 house-crickets in America. And indeed I cannot re- 

 member ever to have heard them in-doors in my native 

 State, Massachusetts." 



"Dar's plenty uv em in ole Marylan', 'tany rate," 

 observed Dan ; " dat am a fac', I shore yo' — fiel'-crickets 

 en house-crickets, too. En es to Ix'in' liyar in Pennsyl- 

 vany, jes yo' ax Sary Ann dar ! Wy deys lots on 'em 

 in dis hyar ole place !" 



" Yes, and there is nothing better known to the coun- 

 try people of our border states than the ' Cricket on the 

 Hearth ;' 1 have often met them in the "West inhabiting 

 chimney places and firsl-lloor apartments ol" dwellings. 



