Gourtshi]) of certain European Acridildx. 237 



place. In the above-described attitude the hold of the 

 male appeared to be very precarious, and it seemed that 

 he would have been shaken off by a comparatively slight 

 movement on the part of the female. 



During the second half of the period of observation, the 

 male made more frequent and vigorous attempts, and. I 

 noticed that from time to time he gently nibbled the 

 female with his mandibles in the dorsal and upper part of 

 the lateral thoracic regions. The female, however, 

 appeared to be entirely indifferent to his attentions ; and 

 sometimes when the male was making the most energetic 

 attempts she would calmly begin to eat the leaf of a 

 plant. On two occasions she finished, or nearly finished, 

 a small leaf, and many times nibbled parts of leaves. 

 Although she seemed to prefer the green leaves, she 

 sometimes ate portions of brown ones. Five times the 

 female ejected fteces ; once I thought the male did so, 

 buu it may merely have been getting rid of some foreign 

 particle which had accidentally adhered. In the case of 

 the female there was no doubt. 



Although the female did not attempt to get rid of the 

 male, she showed her indifference to his presence not 

 only in the manner already described, but by walking and 

 hopping about, often at the most inconvenient times. By 

 3.45 copulation had not commenced, and I could wait 

 no longer. 13oth insects were then captured for 

 identification. 



All the observatioDS recorded above were made quite 

 close to the insects. By keeping as still as possible, 

 and moving very gently when it was necessary to 

 follow them, it was easy to bring the eyes within six or 

 eight inches of the insects Avithout disturbing them 

 at all. 



August 30. — I saw many of the same species in copula 

 beside the upper road, or rather path, leading from the 

 Weisshorn Hotel to Zinai. The terminal segments of the 

 male's abdomen are turned upwards, in the position indi- 

 cated by the attempts already described. The alternate 

 movements of the third legs continue from time to time 

 during coitus : in one case (which may have been the 

 begiuning of copulation) a female was seen to stretch out 

 the third legs from time to time, and make a rapid 

 shivering movement. With the above exception, the 

 female hopped and walked about freely during the pro- 



