MORSE: ORTHOPTERA OF NEW ENGLAND. 
405 
forces itself upon our attention, it is known by reputation more 
widely than the others. 
The song is striking in character, a long-continued series of 
rhythmic pulsations. It is referred to by Thoreau in the passage 
"the slumbrous breathing of crickets throughout the night." 
And it is the more noticeable for the reason that several nearby 
individuals often chant in unison. (See p. 386.) As might be 
expected, the synchrony is often not perfect, different groups of 
F C 
Fig. 68. — Snowy Tree-cricket, Oecanthus niveus. A, egg-puncture of previous year healed 
over, in apple bark; B, recent egg-puncture without plug; C, egg-puncture with plug (all x I5); 
D, egg in raspberry (x 21) ; E, projection of egg-cap (x 500) ; F, egg-cap (x 50) ; G, egg in apple 
bark (x 1.5) . (After Fulton.) 
performers varying independently. Nor do the formulas for 
calculating the temperature (referred to above) give absolutely 
correct results, but they are sufficiently accurate to make observa- 
tions on these little musicians interesting to the insect physiolo- 
gist. 
The Snowy Tree-cricket deposits its eggs singly, unlike our 
other two common forms, the Dusky and the Four-spotted, usually 
choosing apple, plum, cherry, and elm trees, but also placing them 
in a large number of other trees and woody vines. It is of eco- 
nomic importance chiefly because of its abundance in neglected 
orchards, where its punctures scar and injure the twigs and 
14 
