88 TRUE TALES OF THE INSECTS. 



of a brain than any of the other ganglia. The other 

 ganglia are eight, three thoracic and five abdominal. 

 This series of nerve-centres, connected by nervous 

 cords, together constitute the nervous system. 



The Gift of Song. 



If the Acridiidse are remarkable amongst the Orthop- 

 tera for their air-sacs, they are no less interesting on 

 account of another wondrous possession, which they 

 share in common with the other Saltatoria their gift 

 of song. Singers in the true sense they are not ; they 

 should rather be called minstrels ; for, strictly speaking, 

 owing to their peculiar mode of breathing, they have 

 nothing that corresponds to our voice, and it may be 

 accepted, as Aristotle expressed long ago, " that no 

 living creature hath any voice but such only as are 

 furnished with lungs and windpipes." While less famed 

 as instrumentalists than the neighbouring Saltatoria, 

 they are not without their resources in musical powers, 

 and there is evidence that they are of great importance 

 to the creatures, though it is hard to state definitely in 

 what way. In some of the aberrant forms of Acridiidae, 

 some parts of the structures of the body are clearly 

 subservient to the musical organs, and have every 

 appearance of being specially directed to securing their 



