FIELD-CRICKET. 233 



took a multitude of eggs, which were long and narrow, of a 

 yellow colour, and covered with a very tough skin. By this 

 accident, we learned to distinguish the male from the female ; 

 the former of which is shining black, with a golden stripe 

 across his shoulders ; the latter is more dusky, more capacious 

 about the abdomen, and carries a long sword-shaped weapon 

 at her tail, which probably is the instrument with which she 

 deposits her eggs in crannies and safe receptacles. 



Where violent methods will not avail, more gentle means 

 will often succeed ; and so it proved in the present case . for, 

 though a spade be too boisterous and rough an implement, a 

 pliant stalk of grass, gently insinuated into the caverns, will 

 probe their windings to the bottom, and quickly bring out the 

 inhabitant; and thus the humane inquirer may gratify his 

 curiosity without injuring the object of it. * It is remarkable, 

 that, though these insects are furnished with long legs behind, 

 and brawny thighs for leaping, like grasshoppers, yet, when 

 driven from their holes, they shew no activity, but crawl along 

 in a shiftless manner, so as easily to be taken ; and again, 

 though provided with a curious apparatus of wings, yet they 

 never exert them when there seems to be the greatest occasion. 

 The males only make that shrilling noise, perhaps out of 

 rivalry and emulation, as is the case with many animals which 

 exert some sprightly note during their breeding time : it is 

 raised by a brisk friction of one wing against the other. They 

 are solitary beings, living singly male or female, each as it may 

 happen ; but there must be a time when the sexes have some 

 intercourse, and then the wings may be useful, perhaps, during 

 the hours of night. When the males meet, they will fight 

 fiercely, as I found by some which I put into the crevices of a 

 dry stone wall, where I should have been glad to have made 

 them settle ; for though they seemed distressed by being taken 

 out of their knowledge, yet the first that got possession of the 

 chinks would seize on any that were obtruded upon them, 

 with a vast row of serrated fangs. With their strong jaws, 



* The children in France amuse themselves in the fields hunting the 

 field-cricket. They put into the hole of that insect an ant, to which a 

 long hair is attached, and allowing the little animal to penetrate to the 

 bottom of the burrow, they then draw it out, and the cricket always 

 follows it, and in this manner is c;iptured. Pliny informs us of a simple 

 method of taking this insect, which is, by thrusting a slender piece of 

 stick to the bottom of their burrow, when the cricket immediately gets 

 upon it to know the reason of the intrusion, and is thus easily secured. 

 This simplicity of the animal no doubt gave rise to the proverb stultior 

 grillo, more foolish than a cricket. ED. 



