STICK-INSECTS, CRICKETS, AND GRASSHOPPERS. 567 



and the ovipositor of the female is short and straight. In the male the 

 tegmina are differently formed from the female, exhibiting a bare space 

 covered by strong veins, which are roughened beneath like a file, so as to 

 produce a chirping sound when the tegmina are rubbed over one another. 

 The females are mute, as in most other Orthopterous insects. 



We have tlwee conspicuous kinds of crickets in this country, of which the 

 best known is the pale brown house-cricket, Gryllus domesticus (Linn. ). It 

 is very similar in its habits to the cockroach, but is a much less disgusting 

 insect, both in appearance, and because it does not possess the foul odour of 

 the cockroach. It is, however, a destructive insect, and is very fond of mois- 

 ture; and this is the reason why it sometimes eats holes in wet clothes 

 left hanging at the fire to dry during the night; 

 though 1 have sometimes heard that " it was out of 

 spite against the maid, who was in the habit of killing 

 them." Many persons have a superstitious dislike 

 to injure crickets ; and I lately heard of an attack of 

 toothache being attributed to the murder of a cricket. 

 The field-cricket, Acheta campestris (Linn.), is rather 

 larger and stouter than the house-cricket, and is of 

 a nearly black colour, except the tegmina, which are 

 brown. It is a very destructive insect, feeding on 

 the roots of plants; but has become exterminated by 

 cultivation, and is now very rare in England, though 

 it and several other closely-allied species are abundant 

 in most parts of the world. The mole-cricket, Ctirtilla 

 gryllotalpa (Linn.), is a brown insect two inches long, 

 which represents a small section of crickets in which 

 the front legs are very broad and flat, resembling Fi ^ FIELD-CRICKET 

 those of a mole, and are used for burrowing in a (Acheta campestris). 

 similar manner. It does much mischief by destroy- 

 ing the roots of plants, and is a common insect, though seldom seen above 

 ground. 



The Phasgonuridce, or long - horned grasshoppers, are a large group 

 divided into numerous sub-families, which resemble the crickets in many 

 respects, having large heads which frequently slope inwards 

 and downwards, and long or very long antennae. The Long-Horned 

 tegmina, however, are generally roof -like, and the colour is Grasshoppers 

 most frequently green, though sometimes brown. The ovi- (Phasgonuridce.) 

 positor of the female is long, compressed, and curved up- 

 wards at the end. The legs are generally less strongly spined than in the 

 crickets. The typical species of this family is known as the Great Green 

 Grasshopper, arid is not uncommon in the south of England, where it can 

 easily be recognised by its large size (three inches or more in expanse of 

 wing), bright green colour, very long antennae, and in the female its long 

 ovipositor. Some of the North American species of this family are called 

 "Katydids." their chirping having been read into the words, "Katy did, 

 Katy did, Katy didn't, she did, she didn't," and sojon. 



Some insects belonging to foreign sub-families of this group are of very 

 large size, measuring six or eight inches in expanse ; and some are remarkable 

 for their broad flattened thorax, or for their disproportionately long hind 

 legs. Others, which are found in the deserts of Africa, are bulky apterous 

 insects, on the large fore - legs of which the curious auditory organs 



