249 



GRASSHOPPERS.* 



THE smaller species of Locusta, constituting the 

 grasshoppers of our fields and meadows, have not been 

 much attended to by entomologists, and their charac- 

 ters are but ill-defined. Many of them too are sub- 

 ject to much variation of colouring, so as to render the 

 distinguishing of species difficult. It has, however, 

 occurred to me, that their different notes might assist 

 much in the determination of this last point. As far 

 as I have observed, the same species always emit the 

 same notes. As insects in general are not in the 

 practice of emitting regular sounds, there are but 

 few groups in which this habit could be availed of 

 for such a purpose; but in this family and some 

 other allied ones, it seems as if it might be made 

 serviceable. f 



During hot summer weather, I observe that field 

 grasshoppers crink (to use White's expression) during 

 the greater part of the night. J 



* Locust ida, Leach. 



f Since this was written, I find a similar observation has been 

 made by Siebold, a Prussian entomologist, who has remarked, 

 with respect to the Gomphoceri, that " the individual species are 

 easily recognized by their chirping," each having its own peculiar 

 way of producing the noise. See Reports on the Prog, of Zool. 

 and Bot. published by the Ray Society, p. 218. 



J The same is observed by White of the chirping of the field 

 cricket. Nat. Hist. Lett. XL VI. to D. Barrington. 



M 5 



