FROM A NEW ENGLAND HILLSIDE. 175 



days ; but I saw many of these shells, some 

 times two or three of them left upon a 

 single leaf, having the opening in the back 

 through which the insect escaped. And 

 many of the locusts were busily at work 

 boring the holes in which to deposit their 

 eggs. This they do most industriously, 

 and it is far from being an easy task. I 

 watched one for perhaps nearly ten min 

 utes, effecting a single perforation ; and 

 sometimes these appear at intervals of a 

 half inch or so, for a distance of as much 

 as a foot, or a foot and a half, along a 

 single branch, apparently, though I cannot 

 say certainly, made by a single female. 



The ovipositor is a horny, sting-like ap 

 pendage attached near the middle of the 

 lower side of the body. It is about a third of 

 an inch long and slightly curved backward, 

 and the perforation is effected by gripping 

 the branch or twig tightly with the feet, and 

 contracting the legs so as to force the in 

 strument diagonally through the bark into 

 the wood. The muscular exertion required 

 must be very great, and the ovipositor is 

 nearly withdrawn and again thrust into 

 the wood over and over before the work is 

 completed. 



I suppose that it is well known that little 



