With their strong jaws, toothed
like the shears of a lobster's claws, they perforate and round their
curious regular cells, having no fore-claws to dig, like the mole-
cricket. When taken in hand I could not but wonder that they never
offered to defend themselves, though armed with such formidable
weapons. Of such herbs as grow before the mouths of their burrows
they eat indiscriminately; and on a little platform, which they make
just by, they drop their dung; and never, in the day-time, seem to
stir more than two or three inches from home. Sitting in the
entrance of their caverns they chirp all night as well as day from
the middle of the month of May to the middle of July; and in hot
weather, when they are most vigorous, they make the hills echo;
and, in the stiller hours of darkness, may be heard to a considerable
distance. In the beginning of the season, their notes are more faint
and inward; but become louder as the summer advances, and so die
away again by degrees.
Sounds do not always give us pleasure according to their sweetness
and melody; nor do harsh sounds always displease.
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