TWO STRANGE GRASSHOPPERS 89 



at the foot of the sunny rocks where the turpentine-tree 

 takes root. 



The Greek word dectikos means biting, fond of biting. 

 The Decticus is well named. It is eminently an insect given 

 to biting. Mind your finger if this sturdy Grasshopper gets 

 hold of it : he will rip it till the blood comes. His powerful 

 jaw, of which I have to beware when I handle him, and the 

 large muscles that swell out his cheeks, are evidently intended 

 for cutting up leathery prey. 



I find, when the Decticus is imprisoned in my menagerie, 

 that any fresh meat tasting of Locust or Grasshopper suits 

 his needs. The blue- winged Locust is the most frequent 

 victim. As soon as the food is introduced into the cage there 

 is an uproar, especially if the Dectici are hungry. They 

 stamp about, and dart forward clumsily, being hampered by 

 their long shanks. Some of the Locusts are caught at once, 

 but others with desperate bounds rush to the top of the cage, 

 and there hang on out of the reach of the Grasshopper, who 

 is too stout to climb so high. But they have only post- 

 poned their fate. Either because they are tired, or because 

 they are tempted by the green stuff below, they will come 

 down, and the Dectici will be after them immediately. 



This Grasshopper, though his intellect is dull, possesses 

 the art of scientific killing of which we have seen instances 

 elsewhere. He always spears his prey in the neck, and, to 

 make it helpless as quickly as possible, begins by biting the 

 nerves that enable it to move. It is a very wise method, 

 for the Locust is hard to kill. Even when beheaded he 

 goes on hopping. I have seen some who, though half- 

 eaten, kicked out so desperately that they succeeded in 

 escaping. 



With his weakness for Locusts, and also for certain seeds 

 that are harmful to unripe corn, these Grasshoppers might 

 be of some service to agriculture if only there were more of 

 them. But nowadays his assistance in preserving the fruits 

 of the earth is very feeble. His chief interest in our eyes 



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