INSECTS 



males that were kept in a cage together with several 

 females gave each other little peace. Whenever one began 

 to play his riddle the other started up, to the plain disgust 

 of the first one, and either was always greatly annoyed and 

 provoked to anger it any of the females happened to run 

 into him while he was playing. If one male was fiddling 

 alone and the other approached him, the first dashed at 

 the intruder with jaws open, increasing the speed of his 

 strokes at the same time till the notes became almost a 

 shrill whistle. The other male usually retaliated by play- 

 ing, too, in an apparent attempt to outfiddle the first. The 

 chirps from both sides now came quicker and quicker, their 

 pitch mounting higher and higher, till each player reached 

 his limit. Then both would stop and begin over again. 

 Neither male ever inflicted any actual damage on his rival, 

 and in spite of their savage threats neither was ever seen 

 really to grasp any part of the other with his jaws. Either 

 would dash madly at a female that happened to disturb 

 him while fiddling, but neither was ever seen to threaten a 

 female with open jaws. 



The weather has much influence on the spirits of the 

 males; their chirps are alwavs loudest and their rivalry 

 keenest when it is bright and warm. Setting their cage in 

 the sun on cold days always started the two males at once 

 to singing. Out of doors, though the crickets sing in all 

 weather and at all hours, variations oi their notes in tone 

 and strength according to the temperature are very notice- 

 able. This is not owing to any effect of humidity on their 

 instruments, for the two belligerent males kept in the house 

 never had the temper on cold and gloomy days that char- 

 acterized their actions and their song on days that were 

 warm and bright. This, in connection with the fact that 

 their music is usually aimed at each other in a spirit clearly 

 suggestive of vindictiveness and anger, is all good evidence 

 that Gryllus sings to express himself and not to "charm the 

 females." In fact, it is often hard to feel certain whether 

 he is singing or swearing. If we could understand the 



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