78 
ORTHOPTERA. 
(fig. 22). The number varies with the species, and all are not necessarily- 
laid in one mass. About sixty eggs are laid by Hieroglyphus about 
100-120 by Acridium. The eggs remain 
in the soil for a considerable period, and 
loosen slightly owing to their expansion 
before hatching. The young hoppers 
have the general form of the adult, the 
antennae with fewer joints, the wings and 
internal genital system absent. The 
number of moults is generally from five 
to seven, the wings appearing as lobes at 
the third or fourth moult. The nymphs 
are active from the first; the colouring, 
as stated above, may change during 
nymphal life or may change slowly until with the penultimate moult 
the colour approximates to that of the imago. The duration of the 
nymphal stage varies with individual species but is usually long. 
Fig. 22— Chrotogonus trachy- 
PTERUS, EGGS IN SOIL. xl. 
It is at present impossible to generalise as to the duration of each 
stage of the life of these insects. Apparently most have definite seasons 
for reproduction, governed by climatic conditions and which are rigor¬ 
ously adhered to. Thus some have but one brood in a year, the three 
stages occupying the whole twelve months; the Bombay Locust lays 
eggs in June, which hatch in July (after six weeks), the nymphal devel¬ 
opment is completed in late September and the imago lives until the 
following June : the Rice Grasshopper on the other hand remains in the 
egg stage from October to June and the nymphal and imaginal life occu¬ 
py about four and a half months. There are probably many grasshop¬ 
pers having only one brood yearly. Others have two, as does the 
Migratory Locust, the imaginal life being longest, but the two broods of 
about equal length. Others appear to have two broods during the rains, 
but the eggs laid by the second brood in November remain dormant until 
the following rains ; in this case the two broods are of unequal length. 
A number probably will be found to agree with these, having two or more 
broods from June to November, or from March to November, but always 
one hibernation brood which passes the cold weather, and generally the 
hot dry weather in the egg stage. A number have several broods a year 
