There is no beauty in the appearance of any of the Gryllidae, though many of them are very bizarre in shape. Very few of them venture to leave the surface of the earth to climb on plants. The species of _Oecanthus_, however, do so, and may be found sitting in flowers. They have a more Locustoid appearance than other Gryllidae. One of the most curious forms of the family is _Platyblemmus_, a genus of several species found in the Mediterranean region, the male of which has the head prolonged into a curious process (Fig. 211); this varies greatly in development in the males of the same species. It would seem that this organ is of a similar nature to the extraordinary structures we have figured in Locustidae (Fig. 189) and Mantidae (Fig. 136), though it appears impossible to treat the cephalic appendages of _Platyblemmus_ as ornamental objects; their import is at present quite obscure. A curious form of variation occurs in this family, and is called micropterism by de Saussure; we have already mentioned its occurrence in the house-cricket. The hind wings, which are usually ample, and frequently have their extremities rolled up and protruding like cerci, are sometimes much smaller in size, and not visible till the tegmina are expanded. De Saussure at one time supposed these micropterous individuals to be distinct species; it is now, however, known that intermediate examples can be found by examining a great many specimens. Some species are always micropterous. [Illustration: FIG. 211.—_Platyblemmus lusitanicus_, male. A, front of head; B, profile of Insect with most of the appendages removed.] In Britain we have only four representatives of the Gryllidae, viz. the mole-cricket, the house-cricket, and two field-crickets, one of which, _Nemobius sylvestris_, is considerably smaller than the house-cricket, while the other, _Gryllus campestris_, the true field-cricket, is a larger Insect. Its habits have been described in an interesting manner in Gilbert White's 88th letter. {340}This Insect, like so many others, is apparently becoming rare in this country. A single fossil from the Lias has been described as belonging to the Gryllidae, but in the Tertiary strata a variety of members of the family have been discovered both in Europe and North America. The classification of Gryllidae is due to de Saussure,[267] and is said by Brunner to be very natural. In the following synopsis of the tribes of crickets we give de Saussure's arrangement, except that we follow Brunner in treating Tridactylides as a distinct tribe:— 1. Antennae ten-jointed; posterior tarsi aborted. Tribe 1. TRIDACTYLIDES. (Fig. 209, _Tridactylus variegatus_; Fig. 210, _Rhipipteryx_ sp.) 1′. Antennae many jointed; posterior tarsi normal. 2. Tarsi compressed, the second joint minute.