140 LOCUST. 



It is of the same size and general appearance, 

 but has the body green; the upper wings brown, 

 with the front-edge green ; and the lower wings 

 red, with numerous black spots disposed in such 

 a manner as to form transverse streaks. It is a 

 native of South-America and the West-Indian 

 islands. 



The Gryllus viridissimus of Linnaeus is one of 

 the largest European species, and is often seen 

 durinpr the decline of summer in our own country. 



O ^ 



It is wholly of a pale grass-green, with a slight 

 blueish cast on the head and under part of the 

 thorax, which is marked above by a longitudinal 

 reddish-brown line: the length of the insect, from 

 the mouth to the tips of the wings is about two 

 inches and a half: the female is distinguished by 

 a long swordrshaped process at the end of the body, 

 being the instrument with which she pierces the 

 ground in order to deposit her eggs: it consists 

 of a pair of valves, through the whole length of 

 which the eggs are protruded: they are of an 

 oblong form, and of a pale brown colour. 



The Gryllus verrucivorus is also found in some 

 parts of England, and is of an equal size with the 

 viridissimus, but of a reddish-brown colour, with 

 darker variegations : this animal, according to 

 Linnaeus, is frequently applied by the people in 

 Sweden to warts on the hands, which it is suffered 

 to bite off, and is said thus to prevent their return. 



But of all the British insects of this genus the 

 Gryllus Gryllotalpa or Mole-Cricket is by far the 

 most curious 5 and in its colour and manners dif- 



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