OF SELBORNE. 233 



of their cells, which they then open and bore, and shape very 

 elegantly. All that ever I have seen at that season were in 

 their pupa state, and had only the rudiments of wings, lying 

 under a skin or coat, which must be cast before the insect can 

 arrive at it's perfect state ; y from whence I should suppose 

 that the old ones of last year do not always survive the winter. 

 In August their holes begin to be obliterated, and the insects 

 are seen no more till spring. 



Not many summers ago I endeavoured to transplant a 

 colony to the terrace in my garden, by boring deep holes in 

 the sloping turf. The new inhabitants stayed some time, and 

 fed and sung; but wandered away by degrees, and were heard 

 at a farther distance every morning; so that it appears that on 

 this emergency they made use of their wings in attempting to 

 return to the spot from which they were taken. 



One of these crickets, when confined in a paper cage and 

 set in the sun, and supplied with plants moistened with water, 

 will feed and thrive, and become so merry and loud as to be 

 irksome in the same room where a person is sitting : if the 

 plants are not wetted it will die. 



LETTER XLVII. 



TO THE SAME. 



Selborne. 

 DEAK SIR, 



" Far from all resort of mirth 



" Save the cricket on the hearth." MILTON'S // Penseroso. 



WHILE many other insects must be sought after in fields and 

 woods, and waters, the gryllus domesticus, or house-cricket) 

 resides altogether within our dwellings, intruding itself upon 

 our notice whether we will or no. This species delights in 

 new-built houses, being, like the spider, pleased with the 

 moisture of the walls ; and besides, the softness of the mortar 

 enables them to burrow and mine between the joints of the 



y We have observed that they cast these skins in April, which are then 

 seen lying at the mouths of their holes. 



