n6 



THE STUDY OF INSECTS. 



and slender, like those of the Locustidae ; but the form of 

 the ovipositor is quite different in this family, being spear- 

 shaped, instead of sword-like. 



The males of the crickets have musical organs which are 

 even more elaborate than those of the Katydids and meadow 

 grasshoppers. Here all that part of each wing-cover that 

 lies on the back is occupied by them. This gives the males 

 a very different appearance from the females, the wing- 

 covers of that sex being veined simply. 



During the latter part of summer and in the autumn the 

 air is filled with the chirping of crickets. It is an interest- 

 ing thing to watch one of these fiddlers calling his mate. 

 By moving quietly in the direction from which the sound 

 comes, and stopping whenever the insect stops chirping, 

 but moving on again when he renews his song, one can get 

 near enough to see how he does it. This can be done even 

 in the night with the aid of a lantern, as the crickets do not 

 seem to mind lights. 



Figure 133 represents the musical apparatus of a cricket. 



Fig. 133.— Tegmina of male Gryllus. 



From this it will be seen that the large veins divide the wing- 

 covers into disk-like membranous spaces. If the principal 

 vein which extends diagonally across the base of the wing- 



