208 THE NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE. 
squeezed the poor insect to death. Out of one so bruised we 
took a multitude of eggs, which were long and narrow, of a 
yellow color, and covered with a very tough skin. By this 
accident we learned to distinguish the male from the female ; 
the former of which is shining black, with a golden stripe 
across his shoulders ; the latter is more dusky, more capacious 
about the abdomen, and carries a long sword-shaped weapon 
at her tail, which probably is the instrument with which she 
deposits her eggs in crannies and safe receptacles. 
Where violent methods will not avail, more gentle means 
will often succeed; and so it proved in the present case ; for, 
though a spade be too boisterous and rough an implement, a 
pliant stalk of grass, gently insinuated into the caverns, will 
probe their windings to the bottom, and quickly bring out the 
inhabitant ; and thus the humane inquirer may gratify his 
curiosity without injuring the object of it. It is remarkable, 
that though these insects are furnished with long legs behind, 
and brawny thighs for leaping, like grasshoppers ; yet when 
driven from their holes they show no activity, but crawl along 
in a shiftless manner, so as easily to be taken; and again, 
though provided with a curious apparatus of wings, yet they 
never exert them when there seems to be the greatest occasion. 
The males only make that shrilling noise, perhaps, out of 
rivalry and emulation, as is the case with many animals which 
exert some sprightly note during their breeding-time. It is 
raised by a brisk friction of one wing against the other. When 
the males meet they will fight fiercely, as I found by some 
which I put into the crevices of a dry stone wall, where I © 
should have been glad to have made them settle. For though 
they seemed distressed by being taken out of their knowledge ; 
yet the first that got possession of the chinks would seize on 
any others that were intruded upon them with a vast row of 
serrated fangs. With their strong jaws, toothed like the shears 
of a lobster’s claws, they perforate and round their curious 
