FIELD-CRICKETS. 275 



or field-cricket * ; which, though frequent in these 

 parts, is by no means a common insect in many other 

 counties. 



As their cheerful summer cry cannot but draw 

 the attention of a naturalist, I have often gone down 

 to examine the economy of these grylli, and study 

 their mode of life ; but they are so shy and cautious 

 that it is no easy matter to get a sight of them ; for, 

 feeling a person's footsteps as he advances, they stop 

 short in the midst of their song, and retire backward 

 nimbly into their burrows, where they lurk till all 

 suspicion of danger is over. 



At first, we attempted to dig them out with a 

 spade, but without any great success ; for either we 

 could not get to the bottom of the hole, which often 

 terminated under a great stone ; or else, in breaking 

 up the ground, we inadvertently squeezed the poor 

 insect to death. Out of one so bruised, we took a 

 multitude of eggs, which were long and narrow, of 

 a yellow colour, and covered with a very tough skin. 

 By this accident we learned to distinguish the male 

 from the female ; the former of which is shining 

 black, with a golden stripe across his shoulders ; 

 the latter is more dusky, more capacious about the 

 abdomen, and carries a long sword-shaped weapon 

 at her tail, which probably is the instrument with 

 which she deposits her eggs in crannies and safe 

 receptacles. 



Where violent methods will not avail, more gentle 

 means will often succeed ; and so it proved in the 

 present case : for, though a spade be too boisterous 

 and rough an implement, a pliant stalk of grass , 

 gently insinuated into the caverns, will probe their 

 windings to the bottom, and quickly bring out the 

 inhabitant ; and thus the humane inquirer may 



* Acheta campestris. Fabricius. 

 T2 



