152 OUR HOUSEHOLD INSECTS 



long, tapering, rod-like pieces beyond the tips of the 

 fore wings, extending about half as far again as these. 



The fore wings are much broader than a casual glance 

 would suggest, seeing that only about two-thirds of 

 their width lies flat along the back, the other third being 

 bent down at right angles to the rest, and lying close 

 along the side. Those of the female are very regularly 

 veined, there being two systems of nervures proceeding 

 in opposite directions, one on each side of the stout ridge 

 at which the wing is bent. But the wings of the male 

 (Fig. 47) are extremely peculiar, and it is in them that 



" 



b c 



FIG. 47. Right Fore Wing of Male Cricket, a, line of bending ; 

 &, file ; c, drum. 



the power of chirping resides. There is the same divi- 

 sion into two areas as in the female, but the hinder 

 section, i.e., the one that lies on the back, has its veins 

 distributed very irregularly. A stoutish nervure runs 

 straight across this near its base, and then beyond it 

 a large clear triangular area is left almost devoid of 

 nervures. At the apex of this, nearer still to the tip of 

 the wing, is another similar, but smaller and four-sided, 

 patch, with a single, pale, delicate nervure running across 

 it, and the rest of the wing is covered pretty closely with 

 a network of nervures. If, now, these wings be turned 

 over and examined beneath, it will be found that the 

 straight nervure aforesaid is crossed transversely by a 



