FAMILY VII.-GRYLLIDAE.

263

“The chirping of the striped cricket is very similar tothat of the black field cricket; and mavbe expressed by r-r-r-u, pronounced asthough it were a French word. The noteis trilled forcibly, and lasts a variablelength of time. One of these insects wasonce observed while singing to its mate.At first the song was mild and frequentlybroken; afterwards it grew impetuous,forcible and more prolonged; then it de-creased in volume and extent until it be-came quite soft and feeble. At this pointthe male began to approach the female,uttering a series of twittering chirps; thefemale ran away, and the male, after ashort chase, returned to his old haunt,singing with the same vigor but with, more frequent pauses. At length finding

Fig. 171 .—Nemobius spec., 11 ° °

female, original. all persuasions unavailing, he broughthis serenade to a close.”

Fig. 171 shows another Nemobius, a few of which werefound in Minnesota .

Nemobius exiguus Scudder.

THE LESSER STRIPED GROUND-CRICKET.

This also occurs in Minnesota , and is found in companywith vittatus, from which it may be known by its muchsmaller size, lighter color, and by the last two segments ofthe maxillary palpus being white. Its ovipositor is muchshorter, being only one-half to two-thirds the length of thehind femora, whereas in vittatus it is fully as long.

Length of body, male, 7 mm., of female, 8 mm.; of hindfemora, 6 mm.; of ovipositor, 3-4 mm.

Nemobius socins Scudder.

A few very small crickets were captured near the electriclight in St. Paul . Prof. Bruner pronounced them to be thisspecies, which is, however, a southern one.