288 INSECTS. 



doubtlefs they can difti'nguilh founds, though probably not like the more 

 perfeft ranks of nature : certainly their call is often regularly anfwered : 

 none but males are vocal. As the cricket lives chiefly in the dark, its 

 eyes feem formed for obfcurity j to furprife it, requires only to light a 

 candle unexpeftedly, by which being dazzled, it cannot find the way 

 back to its retreat. It is very voracious; eats bread, flour, mcatj is 

 fond of fugar : never drinks. Except ia the very coldeft weather, never 

 ceafes chirping. 



Of all the kinds the Mole-Cricket.Is mofl: extraordinary ; is a large 

 infeft, two inches and a half in length, and three quarters of an inch in 

 breadth. At the extremity of the tail are two hairy excrefcences, re- 

 fembling in fome fenfe the tail of a moufe. The body has eight fcaly 

 joints or feparate folds, brown above, deeper tinged below ; wings long, 

 narrow, terminate in a point; each has a blackiih line running down it j 

 when extended, they feem much broader than could be fuppofcd. Tlie 

 fhield of the breaft is firm, blackifh, and hairy ; the fore-feet, which are 

 this, animal's principal inftruments of burrowing, are ftrong, webbed, 

 and hairy ; it generally runs backward ; lives under ground, where it 

 burrows fafler than a mole. Is thought to be amphibious. Is detefted 

 by gardeners J for in a fingle night it will run along a furrow newly 

 fown, and rob it of all its contents. Its legs are fo formed that it can 

 penetrate the earth in every diredion ; before, behind, and above. At 

 night it ventures from its under- ground habitation, and has its chirping 

 call. The female makes a cell of clammy earth, large enough to hold 

 two hazle nuts, and in this flie lays her eggs. The whole neft equals a 

 hen's egg, is clofed up, and well defended from the air and enemies. 

 The eggs are generally a hundred and fifty, white, the fize of a carraway. 

 The black beetle, being an under-ground inhabitant, would devour or 

 deftroy the eggs j to prevent this, the female mole-cricket is often polled 

 as a centinel near the neft j and when the black invader plunges in to 

 feize its prey, the guardian infed feizes him behind, and inftantly bites 

 him in two. Wherever the neft is, there feems a fortification, avenues, 

 and entrenchments drawn round it; numberlefs winding ways lead to if, 

 and a ditch is drawn about it, which few of its infed: enemies are able to 

 pafs; alfo, at the approach of winter, they carry their neft away, and 

 fink it deeper in tiie ground, that the froft may have no influence in re- 

 tarding the young brood. As the weather grows milder, they raife their 

 magazine till near the furface, to receive the genial influence of the fun, 

 without expofing it. Should the froft unexpcdedly return, they fink ic 

 again.; :. 



THE 



