THE MERRY-HEARTED CRICKET 167 



underground, to which a shaft leads from the surface. 

 The nest is carefully guarded, and on any danger the 

 mother cricket darts to her treasures. In two or three 

 weeks the eggs hatch, and for three or four weeks the 

 young remain in the nest ; then burrowing in the 

 ground, and, after moulting several times, dropping 

 asleep for the winter. About a year after the egg is 

 laid the perfect insect stage is reached, and another 

 merry-hearted mole-cricket begins its career, for 

 better or worse. 



While it disturbs young plants by its burrowing, 

 and eats roots, and bites off germinating shoots while 

 underground, it does some good in the world by 

 devouring underground grubs, more harmful than 

 itself to the farmer and gardener. 



H Belated mat*tin 



" I once saw in Christ Church College quadrangle in Oxford, on a 

 very sunny warm morning, a house-martin flying about and settling 

 on the parapet so late as the 20th of November." 



