The Life of the Grasshopper 



The result is an enormous spermatophore, 

 a sort of opalescent raspberry with large 

 seeds. Its colour and shape remind one of 

 a cluster of Snail's-eggs. I remember seeing 

 the same effect once with a Decticus, but in 

 a less striking form; and I find it again in 

 the Green Grasshopper's spermatophore. A 

 thin median groove divides the whole into 

 two symmetrical bunches, each comprising 

 seven or eight spherules. The two nodes 

 situated right and left of the bottom of the 

 ovipositor are more transparent than the 

 others and contain a bright orange-red 

 kernel. The whole thing is attached by a 

 wide pedicle, a dab of sticky jelly. 



As soon as the thing is placed in position, 

 the shrunken male flees and goes to recruit, 

 after his disastrous prowess, on a slice of 

 pear. The other, not at all troubled in spite 

 of her heavy load, wanders about on the 

 trelliswork of the cage, taking very short 

 steps as she slightly raises her raspberry, this 

 enormous burden, equal in bulk to half the 

 creature's abdomen. 



Two or three hours pass in this way. 

 Then the Ephippiger curves herself into a 

 ring and with her mandibles picks off part- 

 icles of the nippled capsule, without burst- 

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