C R I 
forms USj that a certain woman, who was very 
much incommoded by thefe animals, and had in 
vain tried many expedients to banifh them from 
her habitation, at length accidentally fucceeded as 
follows: having invited a few of her acquaintances 
for the purpofe of celebrating the nuptials of two 
of her particular friends, in order to increafe the 
feftivity of the entertainment, flie procured feveral 
drums and trumpets; the noife of which inftru- 
ments had fuch an aftoniihing effe6l on thefe in- 
fers, that they immediately forfook their retreats, 
for they were never heard in future. 
Cricket, Mole. This animal is the largeft of 
all the Cricket kind v/ith which we are acquainted, 
being two inches and a half in length, and three 
quarters of an inch in breadth. The colour is a 
dufky brown ; and, at the extremity of the tail, 
there are two hairy excrefcences, fomewhat refem- 
bling the tail of a moufe. The body, which con- 
fifts of eight fcaly joints or feparate folds, is brown 
above, but more deeply tinged below; the wings, 
which are long and narrow, terminate in fharp 
points, each having a longitudinal blackifli line; 
the fhield of the bread is of a firm texture, hairy, 
and blackiili ; the fore-feet, which are the principal 
inftruments made ufe of by this animal in bur- 
rowing into the earth, are ftrong, webbed, and 
hairy: it generally, however, runs backward; but 
it commonly refides under ground, into which it 
penetrates more expeditioufly than the mole. It 
is alfo fuppofed by Ibme naturalifts to be amphibi- 
ous, and to be capable of living under water as 
Avell as under ground. 
No infe6l is more formidable to gaj-deners than 
the Mole Cricket, as it chiefly inhabits that earth 
which lies light, and where it finds fufficient nou- 
rifhment under the furface. Thus, in a fmgle 
night's time, it will traverfe the whole of a newly- 
fown furrow, and rob it of all it's contents. It's 
legs are conftru£led in fuch a manner, that it can 
penetrate the earth in every dire£lion, before, be- 
hind, and above. During the night, it ventures 
from it's fubterraneous habitation ; and, like the 
common Cricket, exercifes it's chirping call. 
When the female is fecundated, {he forms a cell 
of clammy earth, the infide of which is fufficiently 
capacious to contain two hazel-nuts ; and in it Ihe 
lays her eggs : the whole neft, which is about the 
fize of a common hen's egg, is clofed up on every 
fide. The eggs, generally amounting to about a 
hundred and fifty, which are white, and each about 
the fize of a carraway comfit, are carefully covered, 
as well to defend them from the injuries of the wea- 
ther, as from the attacks of the black beetle; which 
being itfelf an under-ground inhabitant, would 
certainly, but for this precaution, either devour or 
deftroy them. In order to prevent this calamity, 
the female Mole Cricket frequently places herfelf 
near the entrance of the neft ; and, whenever the 
beetle attempts to feize it's prey, the guardian in- 
fe(5t catches it behind, and bites it afunder. 
Nothing can poflibly exceed the care and afli- 
duity of thefe animals in the prefervation of their 
voung. Wherever a neft is fituated, fortifications, 
avenues, and entrenchments, furround it: there are 
alio numerous meanders which lead to it; and a 
ditch encompafles the whole, which few other in- 
fers are capable of paffing. But the diligence of 
thofe Mole Crickets does not terminate here: at 
the approach of winter they move their nefts en- 
tirely away, and fink them deeper in the ground ; 
fo that the influence of the froft cannot retard the 
CRO 
maturation of their young brood . "When the wea- 
ther grows milder, they raife their magazines in 
proportion ; till at laft they are brought as near 
the furface' as pofiible, without being wholly ex- 
poled to view, in order to receive the genial influ- 
ence of the fun : but ftiould the froft unexpecledly 
return, they again fink them to their former deoth. 
Cricket, Field. This fpecies is of a black- 
ifli colour; with a large head in proportion to the 
body, and full prominent eyes. The forehead is 
furnilhed with two feelers without joints, but they 
are capable of inflexion at the animal's pleafure.^ 
It has fix legs of the fame colour with the body; 
the hindmoft- of which being the longeft, enables 
the infe£l to leap with the greater facility. The 
wings feem to be flightly variegated with fculp- 
tures, which cover almoft the whole body; and the 
tail is forked. The body of the male is lefs than 
that of the female; and the latter has grafs-green 
eyes, red feelers, and a tridental tail. 
Thefe infefts make their nefts in the fields during* 
the fummer feafon, where they lie concealed in a 
mild winter; but, when a fevere one happens, they 
burrow in the ground. They make a very Angu- 
lar noife with their wings ; chirp day and night.; 
and delight to balk in the fun, fitting at the mouths 
of their holes. 
Cricket, Water. This infedl has a penta- 
gonal head, with prominent, globous, black eyes; 
near the mouth there are very ihort feelers ; and 
on each fide there are three feet, the hindmoft be- 
ing confiderably the longeft. The body is of a 
brownifli, or rather awhitifti black colour; the rudi- 
ments of wings appear on the back; and die taii 
is forked. It differs from the land Cricket in hav- 
ing a more prominent head, and a ftiort neck; and 
the wings feem entirely vifelefs for flight, thougji 
they affift the animal in rifing. It is commonly 
feen fitting on aquatic plants, and emits a found 
almoft fimilar to that of the land Cricket. 
CRISTA GALLI. An appellation given to 
a particular fpecies of oyfrer, called by fome auris 
porci, or the hog's-ear fhell. 
CROCEUS. An amphibious animal men- 
tioned by fome authors, which is neither fifh nor 
bird, but both. During the fummer, it affumes 
the form of a bird of a faffron colour, and frequents 
the mountains ; but, towards the end of autumn, 
it returns to the fea, and becomes a fifli. Where 
this creature is found, or what are it's particular 
habits, is not aicertained; though the fame fertility 
of invention which gave it birth might have alfa 
furniftied it's hiftory. 
CROCODILE. The largeft animal of the li- 
zard kind. It grows to the length of twenty-five, 
feet and upwards, and is about the thicknefs of a 
man's body. The nofe fomew]?at refembles that 
of a hog; the mouth is enormoufly large; and the 
fuperior jaw moving in the opening of it, gives 
the -creature a veiy terrible afped:. The teeth, 
which are large, white, and numerous, are dilpoled 
like thofe of a comb; and in the lower jaw there 
are two very long ones which pafs into cavities ia 
the upper. The legs are placed fideways ; and the 
feet are armed with extremely fharp claws, of which 
there are five on the fore ones, and four on the 
hind. The length of the tail is equal to that o^" 
the whole body; the flcin of the belly is foft, and- 
eafily penetrable ; but that of the reft of die body 
is covered Vv?ith ftTong prickly fcales, which arc 
proof againft either fpears or mufquet-balls. The 
colour of fome of thefe animals is a dufky brown, 
with 
