LETTERS FROM ALABAMA. 
263 
quite uninjured, though it flew among the ashes of 
the fire. 
But this night, after our swamp excursion, I 
procured in the same manner an insect of more 
interest though of less beauty. It was the Mole- 
cricket ( Gryllotalpa)^.di species allied to, but in some 
respects differing from a well-known European in- 
sect. Its structure and economy are so curious, so cal- 
culated to illustrate the Divine skill and wisdom in 
creation, that I shall describe it somewhat in detail. 
The Mole-cricket is a very curious insect, a 
singularly faithful representative of a quadruped 
among insects. The fore-legs, instead of being 
long and slender, as usual, are short, thick, and 
remarkably strong; the thigh is dilated into an 
oval plate, with a sort of groove into which the 
shank folds down so close as to seem of one piece ; 
the shank is triangular, notched at the bottom into 
strong teeth, curved outwards like fingers, with a 
liollow palm, from the midst of which the tarsi pro- 
ceed ; these are also sharp and tooth-like, and lie 
flat on the shank, the points projecting ; they have 
but slight power of motion. This whole apparatus 
is so fixed, that the broad toothed palm is directed 
obliquely outwards, exactly like the strong fore- 
feet of a Mole, and is used in the same manner, 
and for the same purpose, viz. to scrape away the 
earth and throw it behind in forming its burrow, 
which it effects with great force and rapidity. The 
rest of the insect is equally adapted for free motion 
through its self-made cavity : the whole body 
is long and cylindrical, without projecting points ; 
the legs lie close to the body, except the burrowing 
liands ; the head and thorax are peculiarly strong, 
hard and shelly, of a spindle form (swelling in the 
