8 PLATE CXLVlI. 



It is fcarcely poffible to find a more fingular creature than 

 the Mole Cricket. It lives in burrows which it forms about an 

 inch or more below the furface of the ground. The female 

 dcpofits a large bed of eggs about the fizc of fmall peafe, rather of 

 an oval form, and brownifh colour. They are laid in a circular 

 cavity, v/hich is two or three inches wide, and near an inch in 

 height. An aperture is made on one fide, with an eafy afcent to the 

 furface of the ground, and is ingenioufly covered at the top with 

 loofe earth. When the young larvae are firfl hatched, they fcarcely 

 exceed the twelfth of an inch in lengtht They^afcend through the 

 opening, and fubfifl: on the plants nearefl: their habitation, till their 

 fore claws have acquired fufficient ftrength to burrow into the earth. 

 In the larva ftate they nearly equal the perfe£l Infed in fize, and 

 refemble it in every refpe£l, except that they have no wings. The 

 fhells appear firft ; this is the pupa ftate, and fhortly after the mem- 

 braneous wings appear alfo. It makes very little ufe of its wings, 

 as they are too weak to fupport its body long ; and indeed it has not 

 much occafion for them, as it lives in the fame manner as the Mole, 

 and, like it, is furniflied with powerful claws, with which it can 

 burrow through the ground to a very confiderable diftance. 



This deftru6live creature is generally found in great numbers 

 wherever they once depofit their eggs ; for it is impoflible to purfuc 

 and deftroy them without doing much injury to the ground they 

 infeft. If they find a way into a kitchen-garden, they fometimes 

 deftroy w^hole beds of young plants in the fpace of one night ; and 

 this is not aftonifhing, when we confider that they feldom eat any 

 part except the roots, which they nip very clofe, and confequently 

 the other parts muft perifti. They feem particularly fond of Let- 

 tuces. 



Fig. I. one of the fore claws. 



PLATE 



