STRIDULATION OF INSECTS. 93 



The crickets then take several little turns about the habitation 

 of the male, from which they do not go far. He precedes his 

 mate, walking with short steps, if I may be allowed the ex- 

 pression, en rampant. 



Crickets, when at liberty, are very timid, and are not easily 

 surprised whilst engaged in singing, or in the execution of the 

 other functions of their lives. On the least noise, or at sight of 

 a strange object, they are immediately silent and run into their 

 holes ; and one is surprised, in passing through a country 

 abounding with these insects, to hear their songs cease as you 

 advance. But if you confine a male and female in a box, they 

 soon become familiar, and an opportunity is afforded of ob- 

 serving their amours and listening to their song. It is a good 

 plan to shut up two males with one female ;Tfor the jealousy 

 between the former makes them redouble their ardour. They 

 at first keep at some distance, and call the female with loud 

 songs ; when they meet they fight, seizing each other with 

 their strong jaws. Mostly one of them falls a victim, and is 

 devoured. These insects can live a long time without food ; 

 which would seem likely to be the case with animals whose in- 

 stinct leads them to lay in wait for, and not to pursue, their 

 prey. They may frequently be observed passing their antennee 

 between their mandibles, pressing each joint slightly with their 

 teeth ; this is probably to clean them. They also frequently 

 clean the velvety appendages of the abdomen, passing them 

 between the spines of their hind legs. 



In captivity, the manner in which they sing may be readily 

 observed. The male cricket begins by stretching out his legs, 

 placing his breast against the ground, at the same time slightly 

 elevating the abdomen ; in this attitude he raises his elytra and 

 rubs them briskly against each other. The noise produced is 

 louder and stronger in proportion to the rapidity of the motion 

 and degree of pressure. To prove that the sound is the result 

 of this movement, it is sufficient to cut off one of the elytra; 

 we shall then see the cricket execute the stridulatory move- 

 ment without producing any sound. 



On attentively examining an elytron of one of these insects, 

 it is found to consist of a thin, dry, transparent membrane, 

 which produces a distinct sound on being rubbed. It is com- 

 posed of two plane surfaces, comprising together a right angle, 

 the edges of which are formed by four straight longitudinal 



