336 
NATURAL HISTORY 
active, that an interval of only a few days will sometimes 
repair all the damage: but in Europe their ravages can- 
not be obliterated till the succeeding year. 
The crested locust differs from the preceding, and is 
an inhabitant of the East: it is a highly beautiful animal, 
being of a bright red, with the body annulated with 
black, and the legs varied with yellow; the upper wings 
are marked with variegations of dark and pale green; 
the lower wih transverse undulated streaks. The length 
of this species from head to tail, is about four inches; 
and the expanse of wings from tip to tip, when fully ex- 
tended hardly less than seven inches and a half. 
Membranous Locust. (PL 55.) This uncouth in- 
sect inhabits the deserts of Ural: it is of a pale yellow- 
ish colour, with tailed wings; its head inflected and 
armed with jaws and feelers; hind legs formed for leap- 
ing; claws double on all the feet. They reside chiefly 
under ground, and are six footed, voracious and active, 
and feed on plants and herbs. Of this tribe of locusts, 
there are upwards of two hundred species, and are at 
present used as an article of food by the natives of Af- 
rica and India. 
House Cricket. This is an inhabitant of almost 
every house, its wings are tailed and longer than the 
wing-cases, the body is of a light green colour shaded 
with brown; and like the preceding, is provided with six 
feet. It is said to delight in new-built houses; being 
like the spider, pleased with the moisture of walls; and 
besides, the softness of the mortar enables them to bur- 
row and mine between the joints of the bricks or stones, 
and to open communications from one room to another. 
Yet they are particularly fond of kitchens and baker’s 
ovens, on account of their warmth. Residing as it were 
in a torrid zone, they are always alive and merry; and a 
good Christmas fire is to them like the heats of the dog 
days. Though they are frequently heard by day, yet 
their natural time of motion is only in the night. As 
soon as it grows dusk, the chirping increases, and they 
come running forth, and are from the size of a flea to 
that of their full sjature. As one would suppose them, 
