LOCUSTS AND GKASSHOPPEKS. 87 



about seven inches across the tegniina, which are of a dull green. 

 This colour extends to the costa of the hind wings, but soon passes 

 into pale blue, and then into the loveliest shade of violet purple, 

 which extends over the greater part of the large wings. 



The genus (Edipoda, Latr., includes several common species, 

 which, though far inferior in size and beauty to the insects we 

 have just been discussing, are yet very pretty. They generally 

 measure from an inch and a half to two inches across the tegmina, 

 which are brown, with transverse dusky stripes. Several species 

 with blue, red, and yellow wings are common on the Continent, 

 and the blue-winged (E. Ccerukscens, Linn, (of which the red-winged 

 (E. Germanicum, Latr., is now considered to be a variety) has 

 occasionally been met with in England. These brightly-coloured 

 insects might easily be mistaken for butterflies when flying. (E. 

 Carolina, Linn., which is common in North America, measures about 

 two inches across the tegmina, which are brown, spotted with 

 dusky, and slightly transparent towards the tips ; the hind wings 

 are black, with a moderately broad and slightly transparent 

 sulphur-yellow border. 



One of our common English grasshoppers, BJiammatocerus Biguttu- 

 lus, Linn., is brown or greenish, with yellowish legs, and measures 

 about an inch and a quarter in length. Mr. Parfitt has lately 

 published the following interesting account of its habits : " I 

 have frequently observed our most abundant grasshopper, R. 

 BiguttuluSy sounding his music in the presence of, and hopping 

 round, a female. Some years ago I was greatly amused as well as 

 instructed by observing several insects of the same species, both 

 males and females. I was drawn to the spot by the extraordinary 

 noise made by these creatures. It was a very hot day, and on a 

 bare portion of a hedgebank between Exeter and Budleigh-Salterton. 

 I cautiously crept up to the place from whence the sound proceeded, 

 and there to my delight I first saw how these insects produced 

 the sound which I had heard. In the centre of this group were 

 several females, apparently listening to the concert; the males 

 were, some hopping, some walking, and others gesticulating in the 

 most ridiculous fashion around these ladies, and each playing to 

 the best of his abilities on his peculiar musical instrument, no 

 doubt to their great amusement and delight." 1 



1 Trans. Devonshire Association, vol. xiv. pp. 370, 371. 



