198 THE KEV. P. A. WALKER^ D.D., F.L.S., ON 



the Forficulidas, which include the earwig's), in addition to 

 locusts and grasshoppers, go to make up what are ordinarily 

 known as Orthoptera, and to the above-mentioned names 

 may be added those of Mantidas and Phasmidaj, and other 

 subdivisions for which there exists no English equivalent, 

 and which occur either in the regions adjoining the 

 Mediterranean, or are else denizens of entirely tropical 

 climes. 



The only two sections of Orthoptera referred to in Holy 

 Writ are the locust and the grasshopper. Some leading 

 orders of insects are not even once mentioned in Scripture, 

 and with regard to other orders that are spoken of, as 

 Hymenoptera and Diptera, and possibly, but more doubtfully, 

 Coleoptera and Hemiptera, the notices of such Orthoptera 

 as locusts and grasshoppers occur as frequently as, and 

 probably far more frequently than, all the passages put 

 together wherein the other orders are alluded to. 



Locusts and grasshoppers, it may be remarked, are more 

 exclusively the inhabitants of warm countries tlian is the 

 case Avith any other leading order of insects. Every other 

 tribe is numerously represented in Britain, even though the 

 highest beauty of colouring, the greatest variety of species, 

 and the largest number of individuals be found, and found 

 only in the tropics. With us the locust is unknown, except 

 iis a very occasional, solitary, and migratory visitor in some 

 very hot summer. Our native grasshoppers are now scarce 

 in the Metropolitan district, are mostly small in size, and, as 

 a rule, inconspicuous in colour. One notable exception to 

 this description, however, is the Phasgonura viridissima, a 

 large grasshopper, with its fore-wings of a grass green, as 

 its name imports, widely distributed, but not very common, 

 probably found more often on our South Downs than inland, 

 and certainly far more frequent in Switzerland and in regions 

 bordering the Mediterranean than with ourselves. 



One has only to journey to Switzerland to find there a 

 far greater variety of species of grasshopper, and also a 

 much larger number of individuals of each species, than are 

 •ever seen here. And then one has only to cross the Alps, 

 and almost before the descent into Italy is completed, the 

 hum of the cicada, and the short and rapid flights of the 

 locusts in tlie vineyards or among the myrtle and cistus, 

 seemingly so spasmodic and erratic, suificiently demonstrate 

 that we are among the fauna of the scientific zone known 

 as the Mediterranean Httoral. 



