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UNITED STATES. 



courtship. The power of song, which somewhat re-* 

 sembles the noise of a stocking loom, is confined to 

 the male ; which it is easy to discover is produced, 

 by inflating air into his body, and expressing it 

 through two small apertures, placed a little below the 

 base of his wings ; these holes lead from a musical 

 table, on each side of which are five or six thin bars, 

 connected by exquisitely fine membranes ; which, 

 during the time of song, maintains a continual vibra- 

 tion. Like the grasshopper, the locust very seldom 

 sports its social call without a response from almost 

 ail the males within hearing ; and frequently whea 

 the courtship has obtained his mate's approbation, 

 an intruder, allured by the concert, which is easily 

 distinguished, challenges the hero to combat, and the 

 fight is often long and desperate, as the victory al- 

 ways confers an interesting reward. 



In coupling, the male enters two hooks, which 

 he has at the end of his tail, between the rings that 

 surround the body of the female. These spreading 

 internally, confine them together, which may be re- 

 quisite, as there is a great number of eggs to impreg- 

 nate, some say six or seven hundred."* 



When gestation is fully accomplished, which is 

 generally two or three days after they have assumed 

 the flying state, the female prepares to deposit her 

 burden, and although her body does not appear 

 greatly distended, yet she generally lays about 140 

 eggs. The egg is of a white colour, and about a line 

 in length, and one-third of a line in diameter. Na- 

 ture has wonderfully provided her with an instru- 



* Peter ColUnson. PhiJ. Trans, 1764, 



