THE MOLE CRICKET. 347 



its motion was backwards with considerable rapidity, 

 and it kept tumbling down the clay after it, with its 

 burrowing paws as it proceeded. The motion of those 

 paws is rapid; and the articulation to the thorax seems 

 to be by a sort of universal joint, as it can instantly 

 make a semicircle with them in any direction out- 

 wards. The claws are semi-transparent, very sharp 

 at the points, and moderately hooked, and they have 

 a lateral motion as well as one of opening and shutting. 

 In those parts of the clay that were friable, from con- 

 taining much sand, the claws were spread out wide, 

 and as much was pulled down at one effort as covered the 

 head of the insect ; but when it came to a part of 

 more consistency, the claws were narrowed, so that 

 the mass attempted to be moved was still proportioned 

 to its strength. The eyes of the mole cricket, which 

 are large and prominent, seem very sensible to the 

 action of light; for when brought near an argand 

 lamp, though the eye gleamed like a little gem, the 

 insect retreated with great rapidijty backwards, and 

 hid itself on the shady side of the mass of clay ; but 

 when turned with the other extremity to the light, it 

 did not retreat by the head, but rather in the other 

 direction, until its eyes encountered the light ; and 

 even then it seemed to prefer the backward motion. 

 It is by no means improbable, that this backward 

 retreat may be intended for showing front to insect 

 foes, as well as getting more rapidly out of the way ; 

 but it offered no hostility to any thing with which we 

 could irritate it. The specimen alluded to was about 

 half-grown, and the elytra or wings were not fully 

 developed. 



