162 NATURAL HISTORY. [cH. XI. 



or else doze away the cold, uncomfortable months 

 in profound slumbers ; but the house crickets, re- 



siding, as it were, in a torrid zone, are always alert 

 and merry ; a good Christmas fire is to them what 

 the heat of the dog-days is to others. 

 " Around, in sympathetic mirth, 

 Its tricks the kitten tries ; 

 The cricket chirrups in the hearth ; 

 The crackhng fagot flies." 



As one would suppose by their living near fires, 

 they are a thirsty race, and show a great propensity 

 for liquids, being frequently found drowned in pans 

 of water, milk, broth, or the like : whatever is moist 

 they affect, and therefore they often gnaw holes in 

 wet woollen stockings and aprons that are hung to 

 the fire. These animals are not only very thirsty, 

 but very voracious, for they will eat the scummings 

 of pots, yest, and crumbs of bread, and kitchen 

 offal or sweepings of almost every description. 



In the summer they have been observed to fly, 

 when it became dusk, out of the windows and over 

 the neighbouring roofs. This feat of activity ac- 

 counts for the sudden manner in which they often 

 leave their haunts, as it does also for the means by 

 which they come into houses where they were not 

 known before, especially new-built houses, being 

 pleased with the moisture of the walls ; and, besides, 



