IN THE GARDEN. 



few had been dragged away to a distance. 

 Following carefully the direction of these 

 seedlings and searching closely around, 

 the home of the aggressor was soon 

 discovered, a round orifice in the soil 

 leading down to depths below, the 

 opening disguised by some small weeds. 



A cunning brute this insect, and 

 amongst one of the worst, for he is one 

 of the Crickets those pests of the garden 

 and field which, feeding upon young 

 plants, are capable of committing such 

 serious mischief when present in any 

 numbers. Fetch a spade and trace the 

 opening downwards and you will find a 

 gallery or tunnel projecting downwards 

 into the soil inclined at an angle with 

 several zig-zags in it. Some 2 3 feet 

 down the tunnel ends in an enlargement 

 in which scraps of plants may be found ; 

 or portions of seedlings may be dis- 

 covered in the tunnel itself or projecting 

 from the orifice at the top, dragged there 

 by the cricket to feed on at leisure. 



85 



