BRITISH GRASSHOPPERS 



871 



once by the remarkable prominence of 

 her ovipositor, and, in some species, by 

 the absence of wings. The ovipositor, 

 which may be described as " sabre 

 shaped," and whose form in different 

 species can be seen in the illustrations, 

 consists of two similar and parallel 

 blades (formed by the fusion of several 

 others), which admit of sufficient separ- 

 ation to allow the passage of an egg 

 between them, and whose rigidity, when 

 closed, permits of the insertion of the 



months, and are usually six or seven in 

 number. In the case of T. cinereus, and 

 L. punctatissima, I have seen the insect 

 de\-()ur its cast-off skin with evident 

 relish. 



In L. punctatissima the appearance of 

 the ovipositor is startHngly sudden. It 

 springs out fuUy formed, giving one the 

 impression that it has been lying con- 

 cealed, possibly folded back under the 

 old skin, for some time previously. At 

 each subsequent moult its form is modi- 



1, LARVA ; 2, NYMPH OF THE BUSH-CHEEP (T. CISEREUS). 



instrument up to the hilt in some suitable 

 crevice. In depositing eggs the Long- 

 horned Grasshopper straddles across the 

 hole selected and bends the ovipositor 

 downwards. I fancy that most British 

 species lay their eggs in the ground, but 

 it is said that M. variitm lays in oak- 

 galls, using, of course, the hole through 

 which the gall-fly has emerged. 



The development of the ovipositor in 

 the female is hke the development of 

 wings in the male — deferred until the 

 insect is nearly mature. 



The metamorphosis of Orthoptera is 

 incomplete. The transitions — larva to 

 pupa or nymph, and nymph to imago — 

 are so gradually accomphshed that it 

 is impossible to fix dividing lines between 

 them. Perhaps the first rudiments of 

 wings mark the attainment of the nymph 

 or pupal stage. 



The growth of young Grasshoppers, 

 who hatch in late spring and early summer 

 from eggs which have in most cases 

 been deposited in the previous autumn, 

 is assisted by a series of complete moults. 

 These extend over a period of about two 



fied, so that apart from the inevitable 

 deformations which occur after death, 

 considerable caution is needed in dis- 

 tinguishing the species of even five Grass- 

 hoppers by the shape of their ovipositors. 



Immediately after a moult, a Grass- 

 hopper is a limp, ansemic-looking creature, 

 who is rendered pecuUarly helpless by the 

 softness of his integument. Until this 

 has been hardened by exposure to the air 

 (it may be mentioned that his liind- 

 legs are nearly as soft and flabby as the 

 rest of him), he is incapable of violent 

 movement, and is consequently defence- 

 less. The process of hardening is, how- 

 ever, a short one. Within twenty 

 minutes or so he will be found to ha\'e 

 recovered, indeed, improved upon liis 

 l)revious colour, and to be in the pink of 

 athletic condition. 



Short-horned Grasshoppers are fair fliers 

 when the wind helps them, though they 

 seem quite incapable of steering a definite 

 course. In connection with their breath- 

 ing a])paratus — a system of air tubes 

 (trachea-) whose communication with the 

 atmosphere is effected by rows of air 



