OKTHOPTERA OF INDIANA. 441 



"The house cricket usually occurs on the ground floor of dwell- 

 ings and evinces its liking for warmth by often occurring in the 

 vicinity of fireplaces, concealing itself between the bricks of chim- 

 neys or behind baseboards, frequently burrowing into the mortar 

 of walls. It is particularly apt to abound in bakehouses. It is rarely 

 very abundant but at times multiplies excessively and becomes a 

 very serious nuisance. During cold weather or in cold rooms in win- 

 ter, it remaias torpid, but under the influence of warmth it becomes 

 active and musical. It is easily kept in captivity as a pet, and will 

 reward the possessor by furnishing an abundance of its peculiar 

 melody, and in Spain it is often kept, it is reported, in cages, as we 

 do singing birds. It is in the main nocturnal in its habits, coming 

 out in the dusk of the evening and roaming about the house for 

 whatever food materials it may discover. It feeds readily on bread 

 crumbs or almost any food product to which it can get access, and is 

 particularly attracted to liquids, in its eagerness to get at which it 

 often meets death by droAvning. It is a very pugnacious insect and 

 will bite vigorously if captured, and is often predaceous or carnivor- 

 ous, like most of its outdoor allies. It is supposed to feed on various 

 other house insects, such as the cockroach and is also probably canni- 

 balistic. A pair of native species kept in a cage by the writer, for a 

 short period manifested the gTeatest friendliness, but the male short- 

 ly afterwards made a very substantial meal of his companion. 



"These Crickets, in common with most other Orthoptera, will occa- 

 sionally in pure wantonness seemingly, cut and injure fabrics, and 

 are particularly apt to cut into wet clothing, evidently from their 

 liking for moisture. Any of the common field grasshoppers or crick- 

 ets, entering houses, are apt to try their sharp jaws on curtains, gar- 

 ments, etc., and Dr. J. A. Lintner records the case of a suit of cloth- 

 ing just from the tailor which was completely ruined in a night by 

 common black field crickets (Gryllus luduosus), which had entered 

 an open window in some numbers. There is a popular superstition 

 also to the effect that if a cricket be killed its relatives will promptly 

 cut the garments of the offender. 



"The house cricket may be readily destroyed by taking advantage of 

 its liking for liquids, and any vessel containing beer or other liquid 

 placed about will usually result in crickets being collected and 

 drowned in numbers. It may also be destroyed by the distribution of 

 uncooked vegetables, such as ground up carrots or potatoes, strongly 

 poisoned with arsenic. In the use of poisoned baits in dwellings 

 great care, however, should always be exercised." 



""S-Geol. 



