26 THE RICE (iKASSHOPPER 



lly far. Observations luade in the field show that they 

 rarely tly more than twenty or thirty feet at a time, but 

 this is quite sufficient to make an attempt to catch them 

 in the winged state very difficult. 



That this ability to fly is confined to those of the 

 species found in Mysore, is, of course, out of the question. 

 It has been observed before, as is indicated in the report 

 from the Revenue Department, Kerowlee State, already 

 citedSvhere the following occurs:^'' Those who [sic] have 

 wings cannot fly niore than forty or fifty feet at a time." 



While the Rice Grasshopper is quite well provided 

 with auditory organs of the type common to this group of 

 insects, there is, as far as we are aware, no record of their 

 making sounds. The ability to produce sounds is 

 apparently restricted to the males and appears to be 

 exercised only daring the mating period. There are 

 no special organs for sound production, the sound produced 

 being of a simple and feeble character. It is produced as fol- 

 lows: — The distal end of the hind tibia is armed, on either 

 side, w4th two stout black spine-like processes, which are 

 especially prominent on the inner side. The adult male 

 grasshopper, in a position of rest on a grass or paddy stem, 

 commonly has the hind legs drawn upwards, wdth the tibia 

 (}uite close to the femur and near to the wing-covers. By a 

 convulsive, kicking movement, these spines are scraped 

 over the rough and veined outer surface of the wing- 

 covers, thereby producing a low rasping sound. There are 

 no localised thickenings on the wing-covers, the ordinary 

 nervure thickenings providing theunevenness necessary for 

 the production of the sound. 



NATURAL ENEMIES OF THE RICE GRASSHOPPER. 



For a pest so widespread as is the Rice Grasshopper, 

 the natural enemies appear to be few and unimportant. 

 During observations in the field extending at intervals 

 over two growing seasons, a careful search has been made 

 for enemies, without revealing any of prime importance. 



In the egg stage, only one form has been discovered 

 which may possibly be an enemy. This is a blister beetle, 



1 Indian Museum Notes, Vol. V, p. 2. 



