226 THE COURTSHIP OF ANIMALS 



so, the bizarre character of its wings and legs is the more 

 difficult to explain on any Sexual Selection theory. But 

 regarded as spontaneous variations which have not fallen 

 under the ban of Natural Selection, they are somewhat 

 less puzzling, though, having regard to the extraordinary 

 transformation which the burrowing Mole-cricket and 

 the allied Cylindrodes have undergone, in adaptation 

 to fossorial habits, the legs of this insect are remarkable 

 indeed. 



While there can be no doubt that the musical per- 

 formances of the Crickets and Locusts play an important 

 part in courtship, in some of the Long-horned Locusts, 

 at any rate, the males fight furiously when mate-hunting, 

 and to this end the head and jaws are greatly enlarged. 

 During the progress of the duel the wings are extended 

 and held erect, which is hardly what one would have 

 expected, since in this position they would seem to be 

 more exposed to danger. 



All the insects so far surveyed have been more or less 

 conspicuous for their vivid hues, yet in none of these 

 have elaborate " displays " been recorded. To find 

 demonstrativeness of this kind one must turn apparently 

 to a group of minute, lowly organized, dull-coloured, 

 wingless insects with ugly misshapen heads and bodies. 

 The sexes do not differ in appearance, but they are 

 interesting on account of the sedulous court which the 

 males pay to the females. The late Lord Avebury, in a 

 Communication to the Linnean Society, remarked of them : 

 *' It is very amusing to see these little creatures 

 (Smynthurus luUus) coquetting together. The male, which 

 is much smaller than the female, runs round her, and 

 they butt one another, standing face to face and moving 



