2i6 THE NATURAL HISTORY 



running forth, and are from the size of a flea to that of 

 their full stature. As one should suppose, from the burn- 

 ing atmosphere which they inhabit, they are a thirsty race, 

 and show a great propensity for liquids, being found 

 frequently drowned in pans of water, milk, broth, or the 

 like. Whatever is moist they affect ; and therefore often 

 gnaw holes in wet woollen stockings and aprons that are 

 hung to the fire : they are the housewife's barometer, fore- 

 telling her when it will rain ; and are prognostic sometimes, 

 she thinks, of ill or good luck ; of the death of a near 

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

 the constant companions of her solitary hours they natu- 

 rally become the objects of her superstition. These crickets 

 are not only very thirsty, 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 bed-chambers, and upon their beds, and in their ovens, 

 and in their kneading-troughs." ^ Their shrilling 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, 



^ Exod. vili. 3. 



