THE GOLDEN GARDENER.— COURTSHIP 119 



hopper are essentially carnivorous. Encountering a dead 

 body of their own species, a female will devour it, even if 

 it be the body of her latest mate. 



But what are we to say in palliation of the vegetarians ? 

 At the approach of the breeding season, before the eggs 

 are laid, the Ephippigera turns upon her still living mate, 

 disembowels him, and eats as much of him as her 

 appetite will allow. 



The cheerful Cricket shows herself in a new light at 

 this season ; she attacks the mate who lately wooed her 

 with such impassioned serenades ; she tears his wings, 

 breaks his musical thighs, and even swallows a few 

 mouthfuls of the instrumentalist. It is probable that this 

 deadly aversion of the female for the male at the end of 

 the mating season is fairly common, especially among 

 the carnivorous insects. But what is the object of this 

 atrocious custom ? That is a question I shall not fail to 

 answer when circumstances permit. 



