52 



banana, bread (readily), raw beef (readily), cheese (not readily), 

 rose leaves (a little), nasturtium leaf (not at all). 



Gryllus oampestris, Linn. (The Field Cricket). With the 

 exception of the extreme noi'th, this cricket occurs throughout 

 Europe ; it is also found in Algeria, Egypt, and Asia Minor. In 

 England it is very rare, though, owing to its retiring habits, it may 

 not be quite so rare as it is considered. Stephens gives Windsor, 

 New Forest, Devon, and Cornwall as localities. Mr. C. A. Briggg 

 has a male obtained at Bennett's sale in 1891. C. W. Dale had 

 four specimens which his brother took at Christchurch in 1885. It 

 was given as rare in North Staffordshire (Garner's " History of 

 Stafford, 1844)". In December, 1899, Rev. E. N. Bloomfield gave 

 me a male (taken at Pett in Sussex in 1899), which was discovered 

 by its shrill voice, and was found on lifting a slab of wood in a 

 bathing-shed on the beach. It was said to have been in a hole 

 beneath the slab. This was the only specimen, and Mr. Bloouifield 

 had seen no other. In 1901 I received from Major R. Robertson a 

 nymph taken at Pokesdown, probably during the previous year. 

 Two other records are Rotherhithe, in Surrey, 1904 (H. Moore), 

 and Norfolk (J. Edwards). G. ca)iijiestris may be known by its 

 large size and very dark colour; the elytra, however, are brownish. 

 The nymphs are shining black. The field cricket should be sought 

 in hot, dry, sandy places from May onwards. It is easily kept in 

 confinement, but is pugnacious and very noisy. Burr has found 

 that it will eat lettuce, paper (!), sugar, and meat. The male sits 

 at the mouth of its burrow in the sand and chirps loudly. Its cry 

 is said to become sharper before rain. If the holes can be found, 

 inserting grass stems in them, we are assured, will lead to the 

 capture of the inmates. Gilbert White, in his "Natural History of 

 Selborne," gives an interesting account of the habits of the field 

 cricket. A long-winged form occurs rarely. There is such a 

 specimen in the Hope Collection at Oxford, which Burr, however, 

 thinks may possibly be G. himacidatus, De Geer. 



Gryllus domesticus, Linn. (The House Cricket).— What was 

 the original habitat of this insect is uncertain, but perhaps it is 

 wild in North Africa. In Britain it is seldom found out-of-doors, 

 but prefers houses, bakeries, and similar places. There, owing 

 to artificial conditions of warmth, specimens at all stages of growth- 

 are found living together — they have lost touch with the seasons, 

 as have our resident alien cockroaches. Possibly they are becoming 

 less common with us, and it may be that the cockroaches are 

 driving them away. Gilbert White speaks of their migratmg with 

 undulating fiight. The House Gricket lives on refuse and rubbish, 

 especially sweet-stuff (Burr); it eats bread; moisture is necessary to 

 it, which may perhaps explain its reputed liking for damp linen. 

 Burr states that in Belgium it occurs in the steam-heated neigh- 

 bourhood of underground pumps. Examples with abbreviated 

 wings are occasionally obtained, but Brunner says he has heard of 



