NATURAL HISTORY: at 
The cricket very much refemblés the grafshopper in its fhape, its 
thanner of ruminating, its voice, its leaping, and methods of propaga- 
tion. It differs in its colour, which is uniformly of a rufty brown; in 
tts food, which is more various ; and in its place of refidence, which is 
Moft ufually in the warmef chinks behind a country hearth. They 
are, in fome meafure, obliged to the bad mafonry employed in mak- 
ing peafants houfes for théir retreats. ‘he fimalleft-chink ferves to give 
them fhelter; and where they once make their abode they are fure to 
Propagate. ‘Khey are of a mott chilly nature, feldom leaving the fire- 
fide; and, ifsundifturbed, are feen to hop from their retreats; to chir- 
tup at the blaze in the chimney. The wood-cricket is the molt timo- 
fous animal in nature; but the chimney-cricket, being ufed to noiles; 
difregards not only thofe, but the appearance of people near it. Whe- 
ther the voice of this animal is formed in the fame manner with that 
of the grafshopper; by a fine membrane at the bafe of the wings, which. 
48s moved by a mufcle, and which being coiled up, gives a found like a 
Quail-pipe is not yet afcertained ; nor do we well know the ufe of this” 
Voice, fince anatomical infpection has not yet been able to difcover the 
{mallet organs of hearing. Still, however, we can make no doubt of 
their power of diftinguithing founds, though .probably not in the fame 
Manner with the more perfe@ ranks of Nature. Certain it is that [ 
~ have often heard them call, and this call was as'regularly anfwered by 
another, although none but the males are vocal. ; 
_ As the cricket lives chiefly in the dark; fo its eyes feem formed for 
the gloominefs of its abode; and thofe who would furprife it, have only 
to light a candle unexpectedly ; by which it is dazzled, and cannot find 
the way back to its retreat. It is a very voracious little animal, and 
Will eat bread, flower; and meat.; but it is particularly fond of fugar. 
They never drink, but keep for months together at the back of thé 
chimney, where they could poflibly have had no moilture. The 
Warmth ‘of their fituation only ferves to increafé their mirth and loqua- 
City. Except in the very coldeft weather, they never ceafe their chir- 
Taping, but continue that little piercing note, which is as pleating to 
fome as it is difagreeable to others. ‘The great Scaliger was ‘particu- 
arly delighted with the chirruping of crickets, and kept feveral of them 
or his amufement, enclofed in a box, which he placed in a warm fitu- 
ation, Others, on the contrary, think there is fomething ominous and. 
Melancholy in the found, and wfe every endeavour to banifh this infect — 
trom their houfes. Ledelius tells us of a woman who was very mucli 
Mcommoded by crickets, and tried, but in vain, every method of ba~ 
hithing them from her honfe. She at laft accidentally fucceeded; for 
Naving one day invited feveral guefts to her houfe, where there was a 
Wedding, in order to increafe the feflivity of the entertainment, fhe 
Procured drums and trumpets to entertain them. ‘The noife of thefe 
Was fo much greater than what the little animals were ufed to, that 
‘ ey inftantly forfook their fitaationy and were never heard in that 
anfion more. oe ie 
“The Field Cricket is of a blackifh colour, and the male has a longer 
Ody than the female; the head in proportion to the body, is large, 
2nd the eyes big and prominent: the forehead is furnifhed with two 
“ers without joints, but it can turn them any way it pleafes: it has’ 
'X feet or legs, the fame colour as the body, and thefe behind are the’ 
ngeft, that it may leap the ee the wings feem to be lightly varie- 
: gated 
