G R A 
deration is fufficiently aftive in Iiopping through 
long grafs, the cicada did not poflfefs this power, 
but either walked or flew. Their notes alfo are 
Very different; that of the cicada being produced 
by a kind of buckler placed beneath the belly of 
the male; and that of the Grafhopper by a tranf- 
parent membrane which covers a hole at the bafe 
of it's wings. There is ftill a greater variety in 
all thefe with regard to ihape and colour: fome 
are green, fome livid, and others variegated ; fome 
have long legs, others fhort ; fome fmg, others are 
mute; fome are perfeftly harmlefs; and others are 
fo extremely mifchievous, that they are regarded 
in fome countries as one of the fevereft vifitations 
of incenfed Divinity. 
None of this variegated tribe is better known 
to Britons than the little Grafhopper that breeds 
in great plenty in our meadows, and prolong-s it's 
chirping note through the fuinmer: the hiRory 
therefore of this fpecies will fufficiently elucidate 
that of all the remainder. 
This animal is green, except a line of brown 
v/hich ftreaks the back, and two pale lines under 
the belly and behind the legs. It may properly be 
divided into the head, the corfelet, and the belly. 
The held is oblong, prone, and fomewhat refem- 
bles that of the horfe; the mouth is covered by a 
kind of round buckler jutting over it, and armed 
v/ith brownifu teet'ii hooked at the points; tiie an- 
tennx, or feelers, are very long, taoering off to a 
point; and the eyc^s are black and proininenc. The 
corfelet is elevated, narrow, and armed above and 
below with two ferrated fpines ; the back is covered 
with a ftrong buclcler, to which the mufcles of the 
legs are firmly bound, and round thefe mufcles 
the veffels of refpiration are feen; the laft pair of 
legs are much longer and flronger than the firft 
two pair, and fortified by thick muf.des extremely 
well adapted for leaping. There are four wines; 
the anterior ones fpringing from the fecond pair 
of legs, the pofterior from the third pair; the 
hinder v/ings are much finer and more expanfive 
than the forem.ofb, and are therefore the principal 
inftruments of flight. The belly, which is very 
large, is compofed of eight rings, and terminated 
by a forl-Ly tail covered with a kind of down. 
When examined internally, befides the gullet, a 
fmall ftomach is perceptible; behind th.it, a very 
large one, wrinkled and furrowed within-fide; and, 
ftill lower down, a third. Thus, it fcems not 
without reafon, that creatures of this order are faid 
to chew the cud, as they fo much refemble rumi- 
nant animals in their internal conformation. 
Soon after Grafhoppers afilim.e their wings, 
they fill the meadows with their notes; which, like 
thofe among birds, are generally confidered as the 
calls ofcourtfliip. The male only is vocal; and, 
on examining the bafes of his wings, a little hole is 
difcoverablc in his body, covered with a fine tranf- 
parent membrane, which is fuppofed by Linnseus 
to be the inftrument of found; while other natu- 
ralifts are of opinion, that it arifes from the friftion 
of the two hind legs againft each other: however 
that may be, no fooner is the note heard, than it 
is returned by another; and the two litde animals, 
after a long contefh in finging, are fometimes ob- 
' ierved to meet and fight defperateiy. The female 
is generally the rev/ard of vi.^ory : for, after the 
combat, the male feizes her behind the neck with 
his teeth, and thus retains her for feveral hours, 
till the bufinefs of fecundation is compleated; and 
on fuch occafions they are fo firmly united, that it 
GRA 
is almofl: impofllble to feparate them without la- 
ceration. 
Towards the latter end of autumn, the female 
prepares to depofit her burden : her body is then 
obferved to be greatly difl;ended with eggs, fome- 
times to the number of one hundred and fifty. 
In order to form a proper lodgment for thefe in 
the earth. Nature has provided her with an infliru- 
ment at her tail, which fhe con flieathe and un- 
flieathe at pleafure: with this flie pierces the earth, 
to the greateft depth poflibie ; and into the open- 
ing thereby made fhe drops her eggs one after ano- 
ther. The continuation of poflerity being thus 
provided for by the female Grafliopper, floe does 
not long furvive; for, as the winter approaches, 
flie gradually withers, and dies througli a total de- 
cay. Some authors afl"ert, that fhe is killed by the 
cold; and others, that fhe is confumed by worms: 
certain, however, it is, that neither males nc r fe- 
males are ever known to outlive the winter. In 
the mean time, the depofited eggs continue unal- 
tered, either by the feverity of the feafon or the de- 
lay of fpring: they are oval, white, and of a horny 
confiftence; their fize nearly equals that of a grain 
of anife; and their internal fubitance is a whirifh, 
vifcous, and tranfparent fluid. V/hen the genial 
warmth of the vernal fun begins to vivify all na- 
ture, the eggs feel his benign influence; and, ge- 
nerally near the beginning of May, an infeft is 
produced from each about the fize of a flea: thefe 
are at firft of a whitifh colour; but, at the end of 
two or three days, they turn black ; and, foon after, 
to a reddifli brown. From their very origin, they 
exhibit the appearance of Graflioppers without 
wings; and hop among the grafs, as foon as ex- 
cluded, with furprizing agility. 
The Grafhopper having continued above 
twenty days fi om it's exclufion without the ufe of 
it's wings, which are folded up in it's body, at 
length prepares for it's emancipation ; and, in or- 
der to make the neceflary difpofitions for it's ap- 
proaching change, it ceafes from it's grafly food, 
and fearches out fom.e convenient place, under a 
tl orn or thifiiie, where it may be prote£ted from 
an accidental fliower. It then exhibits the fame 
laborious writhings, heavings, and palpitations, 
which are perceptible in all other infefts at this 
important revolution of their lives: it fwells up 
it's head and neck; then feems to drav/ them in 
again; and thus for fome time it alternately exerts 
it's powers to get free. At length, the flcin which 
covers the head and breafl is obferved to divide 
above the neck; the head firit iffues out from the 
burfring fkin ; and the eflx>rts of the animal ftill 
continuing, the other parts follow luccefTively : fb 
that the little infeft foon extricates itfelf totally 
from the old fkin, which it leaves adhering to the 
plant under which the transformation was per- 
formed. 
The Grafhopper, thus difengaged from it's ex- 
terior fkin, appears in it's perfect form; but at this 
period it is extremely feeble, and it's body fo loft 
and tender, that it may be modelled like wax. It 
is now of a greenifh white colour, Vv'hich becomes 
more vivid as the moiltureon the iurface dries up. 
Still, however, the infe6t difcovers no figns of 
life, but appears quite fi^ent and overcome v^^ith it's 
exertions. Durino; this time, the body continues 
drying, and the wings unfolding to their greateft 
expanfion ; and a curious obferver may perceive 
them, fold after fold, opening to the fun, till at laft 
they become longer than the two hinder legs. The 
