OF SELBORNE. 79 



now writing, they become noisome pests, 

 flying into the candles, and dashing into 

 people's faces; but may be blasted and 

 destroyed by gunpowder discharged into 

 their crevices and crannies. In families, 

 at such times, they are, like Pharaoh's 

 plague of frogs — ** in their bed-chambers 

 " and upon their beds, and in their ovens, 

 " and in their kneading-troughs."* Their 

 shrilling noise is occasioned by a brisk 

 attrition of their wings. Cats catch hearth- 

 crickets, and, playing with them as they 

 do with mice, devour them. Crickets may 

 be destroyed, like wasps, by phials half 

 filled with beer, or any liquid, and set in 

 their haunts ; for, being always eager to 

 drink, they will crowd in till the bottles 

 are full 



* Exod. viii. 3. 



