123 NATURAL HISTORY. 



fore part of its body and fore legs, attentively watching 

 the prey if, however, it does not come within seizing 

 distance, it creeps slily and cat-like towards it. and, mak- 

 ing a sudden spring, secures it. A relative species, but 

 much larger, is found in the East and West Indies. 



The Mole Cricket (gryllus gryllotalpa), plate 26, fig. 

 9. This family is distinguished by having the fore feet 

 very broad, flat and toothed-like hands, proper for bur- 

 rowing. The hind legs, used for leaping, are not very 

 large. They measure an inch and a half, are gray, with 

 brown feet, and have their long wings placed far back on 

 the body. The males make a chirping noise by rubbing 

 their wings together, like the grasshoper. These insects 

 are very injurious to the roots of plants and grass, which 

 they feed upon. Their presence is known by grass plats 

 turning yellow towards autumn, and it is common to 

 trample upon those spots in order to destroy the destruc- 

 tive insects. 



The Field Cricket (gryllus campestris) is above an 

 inch long, black, and lives mostly in meadows where 

 there are ridges or hillocks, into which they dig holes ; 

 peeping out from these retreats while they sing. Two 

 crickets meeting attack each other by butting with the 

 head, like goats ; but this seldom happens, as they are 

 timid, and rarely go far from their holes. Lizards are 

 their greatest enemies. Their clear, shrill note is well 

 known. They feed upon all kinds of roots and vege- 

 tables, and drink the dew drops. The Domestic Cricket 

 which is less, but much resembles the above described, 

 lives in the homes of man. where it does great damage, 

 often cutting holes in articles of clothing, or getting into 

 flour. 



The Tree Locust (locusta viridissima) is two inches 



