184 THE CAUSES WHICH PEOPAGATE 



toads.j These young insects then pass the winter in these 

 holes, protected by a stone which, frequently covers them. 

 About the 10th of March, the crickets reappear at the mouths 

 of their cells, which they then open and bore, and shape very 

 eleg-antly with their strong jaws, toothed like the shears of a 

 lobster^'s claws. Of such herbs as grow before the mouths of 

 their burrows they eat indiscriminately ; and on a little platform, 

 which they make just by, they drop their dung, and never in the 

 dav-time seem to stir more than two or three inches from home. 

 Sitting at the entrance of their caverns, they chirp all night 

 as well as all day, from the middle of the month of May to the 

 middle of July ; and in hot weather, when they are most vigorous, 

 they make the hills echo, and in the still hours of darkness 

 may be heard to a considerable distance. In the beginning of 

 the season their notes are more faint and inward, but become 

 louder as the summer advances, and so die away again by 

 degrees. In August their holes begin to be obliterated. 



'-' When they quit the covering of the pupa in April, they 

 are white and soft, and incapable of producing sounds ; soon, 

 however, their colour deepens, their elytra become firm and 

 sonorous, 'and they stridulate. The male alone possesses the 

 power of stridulation ; he makes use of it to attract and please 

 the female. Placing himself at the entrance of his habitation, 

 he 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 wing-covers, and rubs them briskly 

 against each other, incessantly repeating his song, which is loud, 

 sharp, short, and monotonous. "When a female, attracted by his 

 music, approaches, he advances towards hei', touches her with 

 his antennae, and modifies his aecents ; his song becomes softer 

 and less loud, and is interrupted by a short, sharp sound, 

 occurring at frequent intervals of equal length. 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 expression, eii rampant. 

 " When at liberty these crickets are very timid, and they are 

 not easily surprised whilst engaged in singing, or in the execution 

 of the other functions of their lives. On the least noise they are 

 immediately silent, and run into their holes ; and one is surprised, 



