NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE. 249 



relation, or the approach of an absent lover. By being the con- 

 stant companions of her solitary hours they naturally become the 

 objects of her superstition. These crickets are not only very 

 thrifty, but very voracious ; for they will eat the scummings of 

 pots, and yeast, salt, and crumbs of bread, and any kitchen offal 

 or sweepings. In the summer we have observed them, to fly when 

 it became dusk out of the windows, and over the neighbouring 

 roofs. This feat of activity accounts for the sudden manner in 

 which they often leave their haunts, as it does for the method by 

 which they come to houses where they were not known before. 

 It is remarkable that many sorts of insects seem never to use their 

 wings but when they have a mind to shift their quarters and settle 

 new colonies. When in the air they move " volatu undoso" in 

 waves or curves, like wood-peckers, opening and shutting their 

 wings at every stroke, and so are always rising or sinking. 



When they increase to a great degree, as they did once in the 

 house where I am now writing, they become noisome pests, flying 

 into the candles, and dashing into people's faces ; but may be 

 blasted and destroyed by gunpowder discharged into their crevices 

 and crannies. In families at such times they are like Pharaoh's 

 plague of frogs, " in their bedchambers, and upon their beds, 

 and in their ovens, and in their kneading troughs." * Their shrill- 

 ing noise is occasioned by a brisk attrition of their wings. Cats, 

 catch hearth- crickets, and, playing with them as they do with 

 mice, devour them. Crickets may be destroyed, like wasps, by 

 phials half filled with beer, or any liquid, and set in their haunts ; 

 for being always eager to drink, they will crowd in till the bottles 

 are full. 



LETTER XLVIII. 



SELBORNE. 



How diversified are the modes of life not only of incongruous 

 but even of congenerous animals ; and yet their specific distinc- 

 tions are not more various than their propensities. Thus, while 

 * Exod. viii. 3. 



