1031.1 139 



done J thoir usual places of habitation, /. e. houses, owing to the mild 

 climate of those countries. This view is undoubtedly incorrect. I have 

 had the opportunity of studying numerous collections of Orthoptera 

 made in different parts of Persia and Arabia, and Grylliis domesticus 

 proves to be one of the commonest species in these countries, specimens 

 of it being always taken in the open country. As this species belongs by 

 all its essential characters to the group inhabiting the deserts of S.W. 

 Asia and N. Africa, there is no reason for doubt that those deserts are 

 its real native home. It goes also farther southwards, as Prof. Y. 

 Sjostedt has found it in the steppes near the Kilimandjaro. 



It is quite easy to understand that this insect being but partly 

 carnivorous and feeding readily also on vegetable and animal refuse, has 

 been able to adapt itself to more easy conditions of existence in human 

 habitations. It is interesting to mention that in the regions bordering 

 tlie deserts from the north, Gryllus domesticus is by no means so 

 entirely attached to human habitations as is the case in more northern 

 countries ; thus, in Transcaucasia, I observed it out of houses in summer, 

 while in winter it migrates again into houses. In Europe the house- 

 cricket is a "domesticated" insect, and is to be found in the warmest 

 parts of the houses only, especially in kitchens and bakeries. It does 

 not like warm buildings where the air is damp, such as hothouses, public 

 baths, etc., though these are the most favourable places for cockroaches 

 and other introduced exotic insects ; this fact strongly supports the idea 

 of the desert origin of the house-cricket. E. E. Austen, in a recently 

 published note,* has drawn attention to the fact that G . domesticics 

 occurs at a large refuse-dump not far from Hatfield, which he describes 

 as " teeming with G. domesticus " ; he is evidently correct in his sug- 

 gestion that this " wild " colon}^ of house-crickets has been formed by 

 the deportation of the insects from London with refuse. As the colony is 

 not less than thirty years old, we may conclude that the mild climate 

 of England, though very unlike that of the deserts, suits the house- 

 cricket well. 



The distribution of G. domesticus beyond the limits of the Palae 

 arctic region is but veiy little known. Quite reliable information 

 exists with regard to North America only, where it is now widel}' dis- 

 tributed,t being undoubtedly introduced by ships from Europe ; there 

 are no records whether it occurs there out of houses as well. 



* "The Entomologist," Ht, No. 696, May li'21, pp. 127-12.*. 



t ^. Kehu & M. Hfliard, " The genus Gryllus as I'ouuJ in Amerioa," Proc. Aead. Nat. Sciences, 

 Pliiladelphia, May iHlo, pp. 320-31H. 



