ARTICULATA. 165 



of September, 1846, I observed, at a great distance, the forest on the 

 Monocasy hills to be stripped of its leaves, and to have a peculiar brown 

 appearance. On inquiry, I was told that within a month or six weeks* 

 myriads of strange insects had suddenly made their appearance, and were 

 voraciously devouring all the leaves of the forest trees. I had learned, a few 

 days previously, that some insect was committing great ravages on the forest 

 trees at the distance of twenty-four miles in the opposite direction. Indivi- 

 duals from both localities being procured, were found to be the same insect." 



Fam. 5. GrylUdtje, {pi. 80, figs. 86-88). The family of the crickets were 

 included by Linnteus in his great genus Oryllus, and on this account there 

 is some confusion of names. This family was named Gryllides by Latreille, 

 and AchetidcB by the English. The antennfe are long and filiform, the tarsi 

 generally trimerous, and the abdomen terminating w^itli two long setge. In 

 the crickets the males produce a monotonous stridulating noise, by rubbing 

 together a peculiar apparatus upon their elytra. Although they have a 

 general resemblance to the grasshojipers, they differ in their habits, being 

 altogether terrestrial, and having the j^ower of burrowing to a greater or 

 less extent. They run well, but do not leap as well as the grasshoppers. 



The true crickets generally remain in their burrows during the day, and 

 search for their food at night. In some countries they infest houses, particu- 

 larly the kitchens, where they are attracted by the warmth. They seem to 

 live both upon vegetable and animal food. The crickets are referred to 

 the genus Gryllus, Linn. {j)l. 80, fi(js. 86, 87), although the English ento- 

 mologists use the Fabrician name Acheta. 



Oryllotalpa {fig. 88) is a genus in which the anterior feet are sliort and 

 broad, and adapted for digging, like those of the mole, and like this animal, 

 they burrow beneath the soil, forming a small bridge which marks their course. 

 In Europe it is regarded as a noxious insect, but the American species seems 

 not to be known to horticulturists. 



Fam. 6. LocustidcG. Variations of this family name are used by the 

 French and Germans, but the English name them GrylUdce., and the 

 Gryllidaj they name Locustidce., apparently for the purpose of making a con- 

 cession to the vulgar name locust.^ as used in England. In this family the 

 antennse are setaceous and very long, the wing-covers deflexed, the posterior 

 feet very long and adapted for leaping, the tarsi tetramerous, the abdomen 

 with a pair of small filiform appendages, that of the female having a sharp 

 flattened ovipositor. The males make a loud stridulation by means of their 

 upper wings, near the base of which is a plate of a peculiar construction 

 for this purpose. Locusta viridissima {jjl. 80, fig. 85), the cigale of the 

 French, is a noisy European species, and the Platyplnjllum concavuni 

 or Catydid., is a familiar American example. DeGticus aptonis {fig. 83), 

 D. verrucivm'us {fig. 84), are European species ; PoGoilocera morhlUosa 

 {fi.g. 82) is from the Cape of Good Hope. These insects are more arboreal 

 in their habits than those of the next family, and from the fine green color 

 of many of them, they are easily overlooked among foliage. 



Fam. 7. Acridiidw {pi. 80, figs. 78-81). This family is named Acridiens 

 by the French, LoGustidm by the English, and by Burmeister Acridiodea. 



ICONOGRAPHIC ENCYCLOPEDIA. VOL. IJ. 24 369 



