BRITISH INSECTS 



acquaintance of mine to a Fairy's sewing machine — is pro- 

 duced in the same way as that of the Cricket, the drum 

 being situate at the base of the right wing, and the file, 

 or bow, on the left one. Whilst the male only is capable 

 of producing this familiar country sound in the majority 

 of winged species, there are allied insects in which both 

 sexes are equally favoured in this respect. 



The Great Green Grasshopper {Phasgonura viridis- 

 sima) is our largest British species, and resorts to bushes, 

 grassy lanes, and hedgerows. It appears in August and 

 September. I have found it very plentiful in Devon 

 and Cornwall, Miss Meyer's coloured illustration will 

 convey a much better idea than a lengthy description of 

 this beautiful insect. It is at least two to three inches in 

 length, has very long hind legs, with a knob-like joint 

 at the knee, and large eyes. It is worthy of close scrutiny 

 under a powerful glass. 



The cheery little tenant of our grassy commons and 

 waysides, the Common Grasshopper {Stenohothrus bi- 

 color) fitly represents the Short-Horned species of the 

 Family Locustidcs. As already indicated, this family 

 includes the Locusts, but the visits of the latter to this 

 country are so infrequent that the bare mention of their 

 name must suffice. The Short-Horned Grasshoppers 

 have, as their name implies, much shorter antennae 

 than their larger cousins, and they have three, instead 

 of four-jointed legs. Some species are almost, if not 

 quite, wingless, and whilst the hearing organs of Crickets, 

 Grasshoppers, and Locusts are very perfect, and the 

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