324 The Natural History of Selborne 



death. Out of one so bruised we took a multitude of eggs, which 

 were long and narrow, of a yellow colour, and covered with a very 

 tough skin. By this accident we learned to distinguish the male 

 from the female ; the former of which is shining black, with a 

 golden stripe across his shoulders ; the latter is more dusky, more 

 capacious about the abdomen, and carries a long, sword-shaped 

 weapon at her tail, which probably is the instrument with which 

 she deposits her eggs in crannies and safe receptacles. 



Where violent methods will not avail, more gentle means will 

 often succeed, and so it proved in the present case ; for, though a 

 spade be too boisterous and rough an implement, a pliant stalk of 

 grass, gently insinuated into the caverns, will probe their windings 

 to the bottom, and quickly bring out the inhabitant ; and thus 

 the humane inquirer may gratify his curiosity without injuring 

 the object of it. It is remarkable, that though these insects are 

 furnished with long legs behind, and brawny thighs for leaping, like 

 grasshoppers ; yet when driven from their holes they show no- 

 activity, but crawl along in a shiftless manner, so as easily to be 

 taken ; and again, though provided with a curious apparatus of 

 wings, yet they never exert them when there seems to be the 

 greatest occasion. The males only make that shrilling noise, 

 perhaps, out of rivalry and emulation, as is the case with many 

 animals which exert some sprightly note during their breeding 

 time. It is raised by a brisk friction of one wing against the other. 

 They are solitary beings, living singly male and female, each as it 

 may happen ; but there must be a time when the sexes have some 

 intercourse, and then the wings may be useful perhaps during the 

 hours of night. When the males meet they will fight fiercely, as I 

 found by some which I put into the crevices of a dry stone wall, 

 where I should have been glad to have made them settle. For 

 though they seemed distressed by being taken out of their know- 

 ledge, yet the first that got possession of the chinks would seize on 

 any that were intruded upon them with a vast row of serrated 

 fangs. With their strong jaws, toothed like the shears of a 

 lobster's claws, they perforate and round their curious regular cells, 

 having no fore-claws to dig, like the mole-cricket. When taken in 



