The Life of the Grasshopper 



portly Insect hopping among the stones from 

 one bit of turf to the next. This time, I do 

 not go in search of It : It reaches me by 

 post. Following my Indications, an obliging 

 forester ^ climbs up there twice In the first 

 fortnight of August and brings me back the 

 wherewithal to fill a cage comfortably. 



In shape and colouring it Is a curious 

 specimen of the Grasshopper family. Satin- ; 

 white underneath, It has the upper part I 

 sometimes olive-black, sometimes bright- 

 green or pale-brown. The organs of flight , 

 are reduced to mere vestiges. The female 

 has as wing-cases two short white scales, j 

 some distance apart; the male shelters under 

 the edge of his corselet two little concave 

 plates, also w^hlte, but laid one on top of the 

 other, the left on the right. 



These two tiny cupolas, with bow and 

 sounding-board, rather suggest, on a smaller 

 scale, the musical Instrument of the Ephlp- 

 plger, whom the mountain Insect resembles 

 to some extent In general appearance. 



I do not know what sort of tune cymbals 

 so small as these can produce. I do not 

 remember ever hearing them In their native 



^ M. Bellot, forest-ranger of Beaumont (V^aucluse). — 

 Author's Note. 



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