GRYLLUS. 4x3 



i.us hody ii?.s been foand provided with n fuiail hole be- 

 Idw the inrertion of each wing, delicately conllructed 

 with organs oi found within, and covered over external- 

 ly v>?ith a fine tranfparent meaibrane. It is by means of 

 thefe organs, which, in tlie completenefs and delicacy of 

 their fhruclure, may vie with thofe ot" the human voice, 

 that fome fpecies of the grrifhoppers produce their melo- 

 dy. The cicada of the ancients, fo famous for beguiling 

 the labours of the hufbandmcm by his melodious notes, 

 IS an animal very different from our grafiiopper : The 

 former either walked or flew ; and it was from tlie fum- 

 mit of a tree that it poured forth thofe delicnte notes, fo 

 much celebrated by the Grecian poet *, 



The rxote of the grafnopper is feldom heard, without 

 being returned by another m?.le of the fame fpecies ; and 

 the tv.'o litde animals, after many mutual infults of this 

 kind, are feen to meet and nght defperately. The female 

 is generally the veward of vi£lory ; for, after the combat, 

 the male feizes her with his teeth behind the neck, and 

 thuG keeps her for feveral hours, till the bufinefs of fe- 

 cundation is performed : They are at that time fo flrong- 

 ]y united, that they can fcarcely be fepaiated without 

 tearing them afunder f . 



After fecundation by the male, and tov/ards the clofe 

 of fummer, the female fs feen diilended with the feeds of 

 a fuUire family ; and ihe prepares for depofiting her nu- 

 merous ova in the manner we have already mentioned. 

 The eggs are vi'hite, of an oval fmpe, and horny confift- 

 ency. In iizc, they are nearly equal to a grain of anife ; 

 arid while in the body of the female, they are inveloped 



within 



* Vide tlic Oues of Anacreon. 



i Goldfmlth'5 Nst. Kift. Vol. VII. p. n.34. 



