The Mole Cricket. 569 



which, appeared like clouds, and darkened the sun. In 

 the middle of May they began to disappear, retiring into 

 the plains to deposit their eggs. In the next month, 

 being June, the young brood began to make their ap- 

 pearance, forming many compact bodies of several hun- 

 dred yards square; which, marching forward, climbed 

 the trees, walls, and houses, eating everything that was 

 green in their way : 



" To their general's voice they soon obeyed 



Innumerable. As when the potent rod 

 Of Amram's son, in Egypt's evil day, 

 Waved round the coast, upcalled a pitchy cloud 

 Of Locusts, warping on the eastern wind, 

 That o'er the plains of impious Pharaoh hung 

 Like night, and darkened all the land of Nile ; 

 So numberless were those bad angels seen, 

 Hovering on wings, under the cope of Hell, 

 'Twixt upper, nether, and surrounding fires." 



MILTON. 



THE MOLE CRICKET. (Gryllotalpa vulgaris.) 



THE two fore-feet of this insect, placed very near the 

 head, are short and broad, and, like those of the mole, are 

 contrived to help the insect in burrowing under ground. 

 The Mole Cricket is very destructive in gardens, as it 

 attacks the roots of young plants, and causes them soon 

 to rot and die. The female forms a nest of clammy earth, 

 in which she lays from two to four hundred eggs. The 

 nest is carefully closed up on every side, to secure the 

 brood from the incursions of grubs and other subter- 

 raneous depredators. The song of the Mole Cricket is 

 a low, dull, jarring note, which is continued for a long 

 time with great pertinacity. 



