102 
ORTHOPTERA. 
Panz., was found byWroughton, M. plagiolepidis Wassm, by Assmuth, 
while Ornebius Guerini, Bob, and 0. nigripalpis, Guer., and Pteroplistus 
platycleis, Boh, are recorded from South India and several from 
Burmah. (See below under Myrmecophilous Insects after Paussidce.) 
We come then to the Gryllince, the “crickets.” These insects are 
distinguished from Locustides by the characters given at the head of the 
section. They vary in size from half an inch to over two inches in length ; 
the colours are dull, mainly cryptic, brown predominating with black 
and rarely yellow-brown. None are brilliant or conspicuous, and the 
colouring is that of other surface-living insects. The antennas are long 
and filiform ; head large, the prothorax distinct. The tegmina are 
deflexed, the inner area lying flat on the upper surface, the outer area ver¬ 
tically against the side of the body. The lower wings are produced back 
and when at rest, give the appearance of a projecting sting or process. 
At the apex of the abdomen are two cerci, and as the female has a long 
fine ovipositor, the hind end of a female cricket bristles with formidable 
looking structures. Auditory organs are situate in the foreleg, as in the 
Locustidge. 
Gryllidae produce loud and sustained sounds, often very shrill, by 
the rapid vibration of the wings, one (right) working over the other (left), 
the edge of the one acting on the file on the other. The males have the 
flat area of the tegmina modified to intensify the sound, though to a less 
extent than is the case in Locustidse. The sound is peculiarly shrill and 
sustained, extremely difficult to locate in the field. Some of the smaller 
species may be seen to be vibrating their wings but the sound produced 
is not audible to everyone, the pitch being so high it is beyond the regis¬ 
ter of the normal human ear. Apterous forms also occur and species 
in which the wings are reduced in size. Almost nothing is known of the 
life history of Indian crickets. The young are similar in general appear¬ 
ance to the adults, but the number of moults is not known. 
There are practically three distinct classes of crickets. Some bur¬ 
row deeply in the soil, making very extensive burrows which have several 
openings at the surface. Others live on the surface, among fallen leaves 
and other debris and make short burrows into which to retire but do not 
habitually live concealed in them. Of these a few are household insects. 
Others live on plants, passing their life among bushy vegetation. 
