Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1890-02-06
covnrsnrr OF rwo xArrD1ps.
me Little Green Lady Gets Into . Hui
and Goes or by Herxelf

and Goes On by Herself.
Recently a little girl in Lakewood, Nj.
found q katydid in her bedroom. She
endeavored to cultivate its acquaintance,
but it escaped. She had, however, be-
come sufficiently interested in the grass
hopper bird to lead her to determine to
capture another. Her efforts were 50
successful that she succeeded in catching
two of the family, a male and female.
These she has now had about two weeks,
aud they have been very interesting com.
panions not only for herself, but for the
entire household as well. When first
caught the katydids were kept in a jar
dinniere of nearly their own color, and
over them was drawn piece of mosquito
netting to prevent their departure. IN
the jardinniere were placed some green
twigs, upon which they sit, silent during
the day, but musical as soon as the eve
ming comes.
At nightfall the roof of their house is
removed and they come out in single
file, the male invariably preceding the
female. When they were first Gagged
they were strangers. and did not take at
all kindly to each other, but after two
days they became well acquainted, and
are now as loving as a newly married
couple. When coming out of the jardin-
Mere the male walks in stately way,
beating time with his taborets, to which
the lady keeps step. From their domi-
Gle they walk across the table, upon
which it rests, to bit of white paper.
On this are placed two slices of banana
and few sugared whortleberries. When
they get near the fruit the female closes the
distance between herself and her better
half, but never ventures to take the lead.
The fruit reached, both begin eating vora-
ciously, the male still keeping up his clat-
ter, but at longer intervals. Generally
they make a meal of the banana, but
occasionally they eat of the berries, when
only the outer skin of this fruit is eaten,
rolling it over and over, leaving the pulp
untouched.
If disturbed, as he frequently is, now
that his >Rugnacity is known, the male
katydid sc63ds vehemsntly, and if the
teasing is persisted in, shows fight by
chasing the finger as it is drawn in diff
erent directions or zigzag across the table.
Permitted to reach the finger, he will en-
deavor to bite il, but the effort is little more
than smart pinch, which fails to pene-
trate the skin. A bit of apple was offered
to the pets, but they declined it, walked
seriously away a short distance, and
paused close together, as if in consulta-
ton. The other fruit being offered by
placing it near them and then removing
to the sheet Of paper, they followed
quickly, and made their supper as usual.
When they have eaten, the female usu
ally leaves the paper first, her appetite
being apparently less vigorous than that
of her mate, and marches toward the
base of the German student lamp.
Thither she is soon followed by the male,
who follows her to the ring in the top
of the standard of the lamp. There
their antics are very amusing, and not
unlike those of expert trapeze performers,
the male giving orders for the changes
of position almost constantly. Natural
lists who have accredited the the female
katydid with incapacity to 3sing" are in
error. When not pleased with some
thing which her companion does his mis-
tress can and does make very decided
objections. Her note is something like
that of her mate, very much reduced In
emphasis, and, in fact, rather a weakly
whispered imitation of it. Being Of
Tended, as she generally is after..the trap
exc performance has been continued q
few minutes, she utters her protest and
marches down the standard, evidently in
a huff, as her step is much more lively
than that with which she made the as
cent. Her shape and movements easily
encourage the supposition that she has
her back up.
One evening, in what was supposed to
be the middle of the performance, the
female suddenly left the ring, ran quickly
down the standard, and away to the
window casing, up which she went to-
ward the ceiling at a very lively pace.
The male did not follow as quickly as
usual, but continued his acrobatic amuse-
ment for some time. Presently he stopped
and seemed to look about him, working
his long "feelers" in every direction. 1t
was very evident that he had missed his
mate. Without tarrying longer. he hur-
ried down the standard. At the base he
hardly paused, but was silent, as he had
been from the beginning of the descent
Suddenly he started in pursuit of his
spouse, and, with great clatter, filing
his saw as he went, he followed along
the track that she had taken, thus con-
mming the belief of naturalists that
the scent of insects is very acute. When
he found her he ceased working his tab
orets, and as they sat upon the curtain
polls made what seemed to be demonstra-
items of much affection. But he was re-
peatedly rebuffed, and had his trouble
for his pains, as the female left his COM
pany and came down the casing to vase
filed with scarlet, pink and variegated
flowers. He followed, but had to be con-
tent with the occupancy of the bloom
apart from the one occupied by his mate.
The female liking for bright colors is
not lacking in Mrs. Katydid, as she
nightly takes her repose among the flow
ers until returned to her home in the
jardinniere.