332 ORTHOPTERA OF NOVA SCOTIA. PIERS. 



acti/Ve, moving and leaping rapidly, and until closely examined 

 might have been easily mistaken for a flea-like insect. Prob- 

 ably both these species hatch at about the same period. 

 Individuals of the Striped Ground Cricket have been first 

 noted by me at Halifax about the middle of July (17 July, '97, 

 six seen, probably nymphs in the later stages). They were 

 then silent and were no doubt immature. I have also 

 observed nymphs of this species, in damp grass, at Halifax, 

 at least as late as 26 August, 1917, when adults were very 

 common. 



In this locality they do not begin to shrill or stridulate 

 until towards the end of the haymaking season, the average 

 date for their first notes being about 3rd August, and the 

 earliest date 24 July*; the particular dates being 19 Aug. 

 (1890), 6 Aug. ('91), 29 July ('92, at Windsor, Hants Co.), 

 2 Aug. ('93), 29 July ('95), 11 Aug. ('96), 2 Aug. ('97), 26 

 July (1904), 29 July ('08), 5 Aug. ('10), 24 July ('11), 6 Aug. 

 ('16), and 7 Aug. ('17). At first a few are heard and only 

 at night, and so very faintly as to be all but inaudible except 

 to a trained ear. In a few days they may be heard in day- 

 time as well as at night, and the notes become more noticeable; 

 and the shrilling or chirping is fairly common in about a 

 week's time (10 Aug., 1910; 1 Aug. '11; 18 Aug. '16). 



All through the latter part of August and September, 

 after the songs of birds have ceased, and when the asters 

 and golden-rods are in bloom, their pulsating multitude of 

 notes is heard from everywhere about the fields. By October 

 they very seldom shrill at night; but on sunny, warm, calm 

 days, with a temperature of over 50° F., their notes are 

 temporarily rather common, but not so incessant or loud as 

 in September, while on some cloudy, cold days they cannot 

 be heard at all. As October proceeds, and the cold increases 

 and frosts occur, the number heard by day becomes fewer 

 and fewer, even when the weather is fine and bright, and 

 the notes are more subdued, and they cease completely at 



*The date "17 July" given for first appearance of adults in table on page 232, should bo 

 S4 July. The silent specimens seen on 17 July, 1897, were doubtless immature. 



