10 THE entomologist's RECORD. 



resemble the adults in form, but are smaller, have a soft integument 

 and are apterous. 



Copulation is effected by the male creeping beneath the female, 

 introducing a spermatophore, Avhich fertilises the ova as they are laid. 



Cricicets are omnivorous ; they are greedy feeders, and will attack 

 each other, and fight fiercely in captivity ; they generally frequent 

 very hot, dry places, or live in holes and burrows, under logs, stones, 

 etc. The male betrays his whereabouts by his shrill, persistent, song, 

 but this ceases directly he is disturbed or frightened. 



One European species, (JEcanthua pell uc ens, lives on shrubs and trees, 

 and M{/r»iecophila lives in ants' nests. Gilbert White gives interesting 

 notes on our British crickets in his letters to the Hon. Daines 

 Barrington, Nos. 46, 47, and 48. 



Table of Families. 

 1. Anterior feet formed for walking. Ovipositor 

 exserted. 

 2. Posterior tibiiD spined above. 



3. Posterior femora very slender. Posterior 

 tibife with long spines remote from each 

 other, and some dense, small spines . . 1. CEcanthid.e. 



3.3. Posterior femora stout ; posterior tibias 

 simply spined, sometimes serrate at the 

 base. 

 4. Eyes present ; body elongate. 



5. Elytra horny, opaque. Second tarsal 



segment dilated : ovipositor curved . . 2. Trigonidiid/e. 

 5.-5. Elyti'a more or less membranous and 

 transparent ; second tarsal segment 

 cylindrical; ovipositor straight .. 3. Geyllid.e. 

 4.4. Eyes absent, body spherical . . . . 4. JIyrmecophilid^. 



2.2. Posterior tibiffi serrulate above, not spined .. 5. Mogoplistid.'e. 

 1.1. Anterior feet fossorial (modified for digging). 

 Ovipositor absent. 



2. Antennae long, with many segments ; posterior 

 tibife dilated, short, spined above ; elytra 



membranous; two cerci ; large insects .. 6. Gryllotalpid.'e. 



2.2. Antennas short, ten segments; posterior tibiae 

 slender and long, with flattened spines ; 

 elytra horny; four cerci; small insects .. 7. Tridactylid;e. 



Family I : fficANTHiDiE. 



This includes a number of delicate and slender crickets, occurring 

 in the temperate regions of both hemispheres. 



Genus I : (Ecanthxjs, Serville. 

 Of slender build ; posterior femora slender ; elytra of male ample^ 

 and highly modified, of the female narrow and simple. 



1. G^CANTHUS PELLUCENS, ScOpoli. 



Pale, straw-coloured, with whitish pubescence. Length of body, 

 9mm. -15mm, J , 11mm. -14mm. ? ; of pronotum, 2mm.-2-8mm, J , 

 2-2mm.-2-5mm. 2; of elytra, 10mm. -15mm. 3; 9-5mm.-llmm. ^, 

 of ovipositor, 6mm.-7'5mm. ? . 



Common from the end of July to September in southern, and south- 

 central Europe, on flowers, shrubs, and vines. The most northerly 

 records are Regensburg in Bavaria, Thiiringen and Freiburg in 

 Switzerland, and Frahan in the Ardennes. In France it is common 



