LETTEES FROM ALABAMA. 
183 
the perfected individual, being, it is believed, the 
sexual call of the male. 
I think it will give you a pretty correct notion 
of the tone and character of the particular concert 
in question, to fancy a score or two of people with 
shrill voices, divided into pairs, each pair squab- 
bling with each other : — “ I did ! ” you didn’t !” 
I did ! ” you didn’t ! ” the objurgation main- 
tained with the most amusing pertinacity, and 
without a moment’s intermission, on every side of 
you. The performer is a large and handsome 
Gryllus, of a bright green hue,’ somewhat re- 
sembling the great green Grasshopper of Eng- 
land, in size and general appearance, but the 
outer wings [hemelytra) are dilated and oval, and 
very convex externally, the pair taking nearly the 
form, when closed in a state of repose, of a blown 
bladder. The antennm are of uncommon length 
and slenderness ; but the most singular part of the 
conformation is the musical organs, which are situ- 
ated one at the base of each hemelytron^ and form- 
ing a part of it, which is turned, at a right angle 
to the rest, over the back, so that the one shall 
partly overlap the other. The organ consists of a 
hard glassy ridge in front, which, on being crossed 
by its fellow, creaks sharply, making the crink that 
is heard in the trees. There must, however, be 
three distinct but rapid crossings to make the 
whole sound represented by the word Katedid,” 
which it can produce as quickly as one can pro- 
nounce the word. Occasionally it gives but a 
single impulse, which we may call uttering only 
one syllable of the word, but usually the three 
are heard, then an interval of a second, and again 
the word, and so on. Behind this ridge there 
