22 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 
up his position on the topmost twig in the hedgerow—often on an 
ear of corn,—which position he will maintain during the whole of 
the evening, and will there “rasp” away unceasingly for hours, if 
not disturbed ; he will often be found performing on or near the 
same twig the next evening. ‘Three years ago I turned out a 
male of this insect in my garden, who perched himself on the 
topmost branch of a tall larch tree, where he carried on his harsh 
evensong for more than a week, when I missed him, and never 
heard him afterwards. These insects seem to be gifted with a 
species of ventriloquism, for it is often extremely difficult to 
mark the spot whence the “singing” appears to proceed, one’s 
sense of hearing seems to be entirely baffled by them ; sometimes 
you fancy the noise on the right—now it seems to come from 
quite an opposite direction; to get a sight of the singer is not 
always an easy matter—the moment he hears a footfall his song 
ceases until all is silent again, when, feeling convinced that all 
danger is past, he again goes at it as vigorously as ever. 
I have found the best way of capturing this insect—supposing he 
can be seen—is to get behind him if possible, approaching him 
very cautiously, for he is a wary fellow, and taking him by the 
long legs or “‘hoppers,” if I may so term them; if not careful 
he is capable of inflicting a sharp bite, which I know by 
experience ; in this way I have often captured from three to six 
of them in an evening. In confinement these grasshoppers will 
sing as vigorously as if in their native haunts; they are 
omnivorous; I have frequently observed them devouring blades 
of grass and other vegetable matter, which, however, seems to 
constitute their most natural food; they are also fond of sugar, 
and small house-flies they are particularly partial to; if one of 
these be put into the cage, it often remains unnoticed for some 
time, until it happens to approach the grasshopper, when it is 
suddenly seized and devoured. Acrida viridissima is a confirmed 
cannibal. I have had at least one proof of its depraved appetite, 
for, two or three years back, I had two in confinement for some 
time, but on looking into the cage one morning I observed one of 
them coolly “ breakfasting” on the dead body of his companion, 
lately ‘‘departed.” These insects will quickly bite their way 
through muslin or leno, and should be confined in a cage covered 
with perforated zinc, which I have found the best material to keep 
them “at home.” The constant habit of licking the tarsi 
