OETHOPTERA IN THE ALPS. 61 



considerable abundance in many localities in the Alps, par- 

 ticularly on the limestone formation. On the south side of 

 the Briinig Pass, in September, 1894, I encountered it in great 

 numbers. As a rule it sits at rest on rocks and stones which 

 exactly resemble it in colour, so that when it remains motionless 

 it can with difficulty be detected, but when approached it in- 

 variably flies away, looking remarkably like a bright-coloured 

 butterfly. The tegmina of this species are brown of various 

 shades, sometimes inclining to grey ; but the under wings are 

 beautifully adorned with rich crimson, being bordered on the 

 margins with black. A common variety has the crimson space 

 occupied by a deep azure blue. This is another representative 

 of the Acridiidse, which also possesses many other members, but 

 of an average smaller size ; about the dimensions of our own 

 field grasshoppers. 



One of the most beautiful species of the Locustidae I have 

 met with is an apple-green form, of exceedingly slender shape, 

 something like Locusta viridissima in appearance. I have seen 

 specimens of it at Interlaken, at the base of the Eothhorn, 

 sitting on the heads of various Umbelliferge, no doubt waiting for 

 the approach of smaller insects which constitute its prey. 



Crickets, belonging to the family Gryllidse, of several species 

 occur, the commonest of which is the field-cricket (GryUiis cam- 

 pestris), which I have seen and heard in many localities. On the 

 road between Spiez and Keichenbach I heard them stridulating 

 in thousands in the meadows one day in July after a brief 

 thunderstorm, the moisture produced by which they seemed to 

 enjoy, judging by the noise they created. 



These insects sit at the mouths of their holes, stridulating 

 until the intruder approaches within a yard or so, when they 

 suspend their orchestral performances and disappear two or 

 three inches down their dwelling ; but they can be frequently 

 induced to show themselves again by injecting a blade of grass, 

 which they seize in rage, and can thus be secured. On the 

 Briinig Pass, one sultry afternoon in September, I saw several 

 specimens running about on a bank, possibly in the act of 

 migrating for the purpose of forming new colonies. 



I have not hitherto studied or collected the continental 

 Orthoptera, although upon the occasion of several trips across 

 the Channel I have been strongly tempted to do so. As I con- 

 template undertaking an extended tour in the Alps this season, I 

 may find an opportunity of forming a collection. For several 

 years past I have been considerably interested in the British 

 species of this order. 



Birmingham, January 5th, 1896. 



