92 



GOUREAU ON THE 



only laid four eggs. It is probable, however, that captivity and 

 the want of suitable food had some influence, and that in a 

 state of liberty it would have been more prolific. The young 

 larvae inhabit a little hole scooped in the soil. At the entrance 

 of this they conceal themselves, and watch for their prey. At 

 this period of their lives they are sometimes met with in the 

 evening, during twilight, collected together in great numbers, 

 and crossing roads and footways, leaping like toads. This is 

 possibly in obedience to some instinct. However, it appears 

 to me more likely that they have left their dwellings in conse- 

 quence of their having been inundated by floods, and are in 

 search of a drier district ; for I believe they are generally thus 

 seen after storms. The first time I saw such a congregation I 

 took them for toads, and thought I was witness to one of those 

 showers, the occurrence of which was discussed at the Academy 

 of Sciences in the autumn of 1834. It does not seem to me 

 impossible that inattentive observers may have fallen into a 

 similar error, and that some of the recorded showers of toads 

 may have no better foundation. 



These young insects pass the winter in their holes, protected, 

 generally, by a stone which covers them. As soon as they feel 

 the warmth of spring they quit these hiding places, and con- 

 struct others in a warm aspect, where they find the insects on 

 which they feed, and here they take up their abode and un- 

 dergo metamorphosis : here, too, is the scene of their loves, 

 and it is here the females lay their eggs. 



In the two first states, that is, under the form of larva and 

 pupa, they are mute ; but when they assume the adult state, 

 and become perfect insects, they acquire the power of song. 

 As soon as they have quitted the covering of the pupa, they 

 are white, soft, and incapable of producing sounds ; soon, 

 however, their colour deepens, their elytra become firm and 

 sonorous, and they stridulate. The male alone possesses the 

 power of stridulation ; he makes use of it to attract and please 

 the female. Placing himself at the entrance of his habitation, 

 he sings strongly and briskly, incessantly repeating his song, 

 which is loud, sharp, short, and monotonous. When a female* 

 attracted by his music, approaches, he advances towards her, 

 touches her with his antennae, and modifies his accents ; his 

 song becomes softer and less loud, and is interrupted by a short 

 sharp sound, occurring at frequent intervals of equal length. 



