FABRE'S BOOK OF INSECTS 



been overcome, the end of the egg becomes detached. 

 Being pushed back by the forehead of the little creature 

 within, it rises and falls to one side like the top of a tiny 

 scent-bottle. The Cricket pops out like a Jack-in-the- 

 box. 



When he is gone the shell remains distended, smooth, 

 intact, pure white, with the cap or lid hanging from the 

 opening. A bird's egg breaks clumsily under the blows 

 of a wart that grows for the purpose at the end of the 

 Chick's beak; the Cricket's egg is more ingeniously made, 

 and opens like an ivory case. The thrust of the crea- 

 ture's head is enough to work the hinge. 



I said above that, when the lid is lifted, a young 

 Cricket pops out; but this is not quite accurate. What 

 appears is the swaddled grub, as yet unrecognisable in 

 a tight-fitting sheath. The Decticus, you will remember, 

 who is hatched in the same way under the soil, wears a 

 protective covering during his journey to the surface. 

 The Cricket is related to the Decticus, and therefore 

 wears the same livery, although in point of fact he does 

 not need it. The egg of the Decticus remains under- 

 ground for eight months, so the poor grub has to fight 

 its way through soil that has grown hard, and it therefore 

 needs a covering for its long shanks. But the Cricket 

 is shorter and stouter, and since its egg is only in the 

 ground for a few days it has nothing worse than a 

 powdery layer of earth to pass through. For these 



