CHAPTER XVI 



THE CRICKET : THE SONG ; THE PAIRING 



IN steps anatomy and says to the Cricket, 

 bluntly : 



" Show us your musical-box." 



Like all things of real value, it is very 

 simple; it is based on the same principle as 

 that of the Grasshoppers: a bow with a 

 hook to it and a vibrating membrane. The 

 right wing-case overlaps the left and covers 

 it almost completely, except where it folds 

 back sharply and encases the insect's side. 

 It is the converse of what we see in the 

 Green Grasshopper, the Decticus, the Ephip- 

 piger and their kinsmen. The Cricket is 

 right-handed, the others left-handed. 



The two wing-cases have exactly the same 

 structure. To know one is to know the 

 other. Let us describe the one on the right. 

 It is almost flat on the back and slants sud- 

 denly at the side in a right-angled fold, 

 encircling the abdomen with a pinion which 

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