CH. XI.] THE CRICKETS. 161 



are first drawn together lengthwise like a fan, and 

 then refolded across in two different places, one 

 about the middle of the membrane, the other from 

 the centre where the first fold proceeded. 



A species of field-bug {Pentatoma grised) also 

 shows a very great affection for her young offspring ; 

 though the family consist of about thirty or forty, 

 yet the parent pays as much attention as a hen does 

 to her brood. She never leaves them, and, as soon 

 as she begins to move, all the little progeny closely 

 follow, and whenever she stops they assemble in 

 clusters round her. Degeer remarks, that if dis- 

 turbed, the mother shows every symptom of exces- 

 sive uneasiness. In other circumstances such an 

 alarm would have caused her immediate flight ; but 

 now she never stirred from her family, but kept 

 beating her wings incessantly with a rapid motion, 

 evidently for the purpose of protecting them from 

 the apprehended danger. 



CHAPTER XI. 



NATURAL HISTORY OF THE CRICKETS. 



IJistory of the House Cricket, its Habits, popular Prejudices, its 

 Noise — History of the Field Cricket, difficult to catch, its Habits, 

 its Sound — A singidar Species — History of the Mole Cricket, its 

 Fore legs, its Chamber for its Eggs, its Metamorphoses, Mode 

 of attacking its Enemies, its Noise, Manner of Flight, supposed to 

 be Luminous. 



The crickets and mole crickets resemble each 

 other so closely, that we shall take the opportunity 

 of bringing their respective histories into one 

 chapter. 



Tender insects, says White, that live abroad, 

 either enjoy only the short period of one summer, 

 02 



