172 [June, 1S90. 



joining the lateral ones. Pronotum with an almost obsolete median furrow ex- 

 tending two-thirds of its length ; anterior border nearly straight, posterior border 

 slightly bowed. Elytra rather longer than the abdomen in S , with a pale marking 

 at the base, forming, when the elytra are folded, a pale transverse streak behind the 

 pronotum ; radial vein with eight branches, liarpa with three to four undulating 

 oblique lines; branches of the radial paler than the other veins. Wings shorter than 

 the elytra. Posterior femora rosy-red below. Posterior tibise in the inner border 

 above 5-spined (not counting the apical spines), with the superior inner apical spine 

 somewhat larger than the middle one. Length of the body, 19 — 25 mm. 



„ „ ovipositor, 12 — 14 mm. 



Ill holes iu a dry soil from May. This insect is of very retiring- 

 habits, and though often heard is seldom seen, and is probably 

 widely distributed over the south of England. White, iu Nat. Hist. 

 8elborne, gives an inten.'sting account of their habits, and says they 

 may be taken by probing the holes in which they live with a grass 

 stem, when they rush out and are easily captured. 



2. — Grtllus bomesticus, Linne. 

 Gryllus domesficus, Linne, Syst. Nat., ed. x, i, p. 428, Faun. Suec, 

 p. 236 ; Fischer, Orth. Eur., p. ISO, tab. ix, figs. 9, 9a— e ; 

 Brunner, Prod, der Eur. Orth., p. 432, fig. 99. 



Aclteta domestica, Fabricius, Syst. Ent., p 280 ; Steph. Mandib., vi, 

 p. 40, 



Colour testaceous, with reddish-brown markings. Head reddish-brown, witli 

 two yellowish transverse bands, one between the eyes and the other near the anterior 

 border of the pronotum ; and with variable pale markings between the antennae. 

 Ocelli arranged in a triangle. Pronotum depressed, with minute hairs, and with 

 sonic longitudinal pale markings, most marked in J ; .posterior border rounded. 

 Elytra not reaching lo the of apex the abdomen, with a fuscous streak near the 

 upper border of the lateral portion ; radial vein 3-branched, harpa with three to 

 four wavy transverse veins. Wings perfectly developed; when closed, caudate, reach- 

 ing almost to the apices of the cerci. Femora testaceous. Posterior tibise on the 

 internal margin 5-spined (not counting the apical spines), with two the superior 

 apical spines on the inner side of nearly equal length. Ovipositor long. Larvae 

 testaceous, with the pale head markings. Length of the body, 16 — 20 mm. 



,, ,, ovipositor, 11 — 15 mm. 



The common house cricket. 



iv.— GRYLLOTALPA, Latreille. 

 In this peculiar genus all the species are subterranean in their 

 habits, and consequently have some of their organs (particularly the 

 anterior legs) much modified. The female has no exserted ovipositor, 

 she lays her eggs in loose heaps in the underground channels, and is 

 said to stridulate as well as the male. One species is British. 



