114 NEW ZEALAND ENTOMOLOGY. 



Travelling along the burrow in this manner, they frequently 

 evade all efforts to extract them, until they are stopped by 

 arriving at the end of the gallery. 



The sexes of this species are readily distinguishable, the 

 male (Plate XVIII., fig. 2) possessing an immense head 

 furnished with a pair of enormously powerful mandibles. 

 The female (Plate XVII., fig. 8) is a more attractive insect, 

 her gracefully curved ovipositor and smaller head having 

 a much more pleasing appearance than the terribly me- 

 nacing jaws of her mate. Both sexes are able to give severe 

 bites, but it is extremely doubtful whether they would 

 prove anything worse than slight mechanical injuries, as the 

 insect is not likely to be poisonous. I am, however, unable 

 to tpeak from experience. 



Family GRYLLID/E. 

 Xiphidium maoricum (Plate XVII., fig. 1). 



This pretty insect may be found in great abundance 

 round Nelson during the autumn, but is rarer in the Wel- 

 lington Province. Its presence may be at once detected 

 by the curious chirping heard in various directions shortly 

 before sunset and lasting till eight or nine o'clock in the 

 evening. This sound is produced with the wing-cases, 

 which the male insects may be seen vigorously rubbing 

 together. The females are quite mute, and they may 

 be also distinguished by possessing a short curved ovi- 

 positor at the end of the body. The peculiarly leaf-like 

 shape of the insect and its bright green colour render its 

 discovery amongst the herbage a most difficult matter, even 

 when its whereabouts is indicated by its cry — in fact, were 

 it not for their music, there is little doubt that very few of 

 these insects would ever be captured, as they are prac- 

 tically invisible, and are an instance of protective resem- 

 blance carried to great perfection. 



When disturbed these crickets fly about twenty yards 



