NATURAL HISTOR-g 
LETTER XLVL 
TO THE SAME. 
Selborne» 
— refonant arbufla — — — — 
There is a iteep abrupt pafture field interfperfed wkh furze 
clofe to the back of this village, well known by the name of the 
Short Lithe, confifting of a rocky dry foil, and inclining to the 
afternoon fun. This fpot abounds with the gryllus campejlrh, or 
fteld-crlckei ; which, though frequent in thefe parts, is by no means 
a common mkdc in many other counties. 
As their cheerful fummer cry cannot but draw the attention of 
a naturalift, I have often gone down to' examine the ceconomy 
of thefe grylli, and ftudy their mode of life : but they are fo fliy 
and cautious that it is no eafy matter to get a fight of them ; for, 
feeling a perfon's footfteps as he advances, they flop fliort in the 
midft of their fong, and retire backward nimbly into their burrows, 
where they lurk till all fufpicion of danger is over. 
At firft we attempted to dig them out with a fpade, but without 
any great fuccefs ; for either we could not get to the bottom of 
the hole, which often terminated under a great flone ; or elfe, in 
breaking up the ground, we inadvertently fqueezed the poor in- 
feft to death. Out of one fo bruifed we took a multitude of eggs, 
which 
