266 



FAMILY VII.-GRYLLID.-E. 



■ Fig. 174. — Gryllus as!,imilis: a, female; b, male: c, d, 

 fore tibiae, inner and outer views. showing drums of ear; 

 e. and f, drums or tympana. Enlarged. From "House- 

 hold Insects," by Div. of Entomology, Dept. Agriculture. 



Gryllus domesticus Linn. 



EUROPEAN HOUSE-CRICKET. 



Pale brown, with chestnut-brown markings on the head 

 and thorax. The wing-covers extend to the end of the 

 abdomen, and the hind wings extend considerably beyond. 

 It is illustrated in Fig. 176. 



Length, 21 mm., ovipositor, 12 mm. 



All crickets are musicians, that is the males. Prof. 

 Comstock writes : "During the latter part of the summer 

 and in the autumn, the air is filled with the cries of the 

 crickets. With care it is easy to observe these little fiddlers 

 calling their mates. The common field-crickets lurk in 



