Marvels of the Universe 



513 



immersed in the first of the preparing fluids. It is quite obvious that this ball is for the purpose 

 of acting as a concussion-relieving arrangement, one to assist in reducing the shock to the insect's 

 body when alighting upon some hard object, such as a piece of wood or stone. But, in alighting 

 after a powerful leap, additional assistance has to be brought into play, first by the resisting power 

 of the wings at the moment of coming to rest (as a chicken will rapidly flutter its wings at the moment 

 before coming to the ground), and secondly, by the hooks at the ends of the jumping feet which, 

 coming into plaj', act as anchors. 



It is a surprise to most people to be told that the shrill note of the Grasshopper and the Cricket 

 is not produced by organs in the throat, as sounds are produced by man, also by the beasts and 

 birds. As the insects do not breathe through the throat and the connected parts, but take in au" 

 through minute openings along their sides, it is evident that if they produce sounds it cannot be by 

 the passage of air over vocal 

 chords ; so we must look else- 

 where for the mechanism. This 

 will be found on the two upper 

 wings. The wing has a net-like 

 structure of strengthening ribs, 

 or " nerves," and between these 

 is an expanse of transparent 

 film. One of these ribs is 

 stouter than the others, and 

 ridged like a file, whilst over 

 one of the clear spaces the film 

 is drawn tight and tense, like 

 the head of a drum. The 

 insect, by a peculiar movement. 

 draw-s one of these upper wings 

 quickly over the other, with 

 the result that one file passes 

 over the other, which causes 

 the drums to \ibrate and, so 

 to speak, magnify the sound. 

 Whoever has kept the male of 

 the Great Green Grasshopper as 

 a pet — and an interesting pet he proves to be — will know that his shrill note of satisfaction after you 

 have given him some tit-bit of food can be heard all over the house. 



Now, as in the case of the Cicadas, already described in these pages, it is only the males that 

 have the apparatus necessary for the production of these sounds ; but it is supposed that the chief 

 reason for the chirping is to give pleasure to the silent females, and so we find that, as a rule, they 

 are provided with finer organs of hearing than the males. 



These " ears," or auditory organs, are no less remarkable than the sound-producing mechanism. 

 In the Short-homed Grasshoppers and Locusts they consist of two clear films stretched over little 

 spaces on the back just behind the root of the wings ; but in the Long-horned Grasshoppers and 

 Crickets they are situated in the shank of the first pair of legs, just below what we may term the 

 " knee." In some groups of Grasshoppers there is a slit-like opening in the leg leading to the ear- 

 chamber ; in others there is a broader opening covered by a vibrating film ; in others, again, there 

 is a coarse shield, hke an ear-trumpet, communicating with the ear-chamber. Examples of some of 

 these forms of auditory organs are shown in the illustrations on pages 510 and 511. 



There is great variety of forms and colourings in Grasshoppers. Perhaps the most beautiful 



36 



Th. 



THE LONG-HORNED GRASSHOPPER. 



long feelers have given this creature its name. It is a near relative of 

 the Great Green Grasshopper. 



