244 



GLEANINGS FROM NATURE. 



winter, are deposited in the earth. As the cooler 

 days of November draw nigh their ranks grow rapidly 

 less, and yet, with the exception of one place, their 

 dead bodies are seldom met with. That exception is 

 the top of tall weeds, where, oftentimes even so early 



as September, the bodies of 

 the more common species 

 are seen, their limbs tightly 

 clasping the branches or 

 leaves of the plant on which 

 they rest. Why this position 

 is taken by them before 

 death I can not say. Of 

 course it is nonsense, but I 

 have often asked myself the 

 question : Is it assuming 

 too much of them to sup- 

 pose that, having lived their 

 allotted time, or being preyed 

 upon by some invisible but 

 insidious animal or plant 

 parasite, and feeling their 

 death throes coming on, they 

 choose to fly or climb to the 

 most elevated position available, there to take a fare- 

 well view of their summer's home ? 



Fig. 70 Two-striped Grasshopper. 

 Alelanoplua bivittatus (Say) . 

 (Killed by a fungus. After 

 Lugger.) 



