188 PROC. ENT. SOC. WASH., VOL. 24, NO. 7-8, OCT.-NOV., 1922 



be supposed, refer to the pole-cat, but to the civet-cat, an animal 

 of the genus Viverra, related to the hyena. 



After Shakespeare we find Butler, Waller, Bourne, Cowper, 

 Shelley, Young, Hood and others singing of the silk-worm at 

 considerable length, but the most complete account of the insect 

 is Bourne's poem, mentioned previously. 



Erasmus Darwin, grandfather of the famous naturalist, 

 Charles Darwin, attempted, in 'The Temple of Nature," a 

 philosophical poem, to use the biology of the insect to illustrate 

 his theme, with somewhat unfortunate results: 



"Erewhile the changeful worm with circling head, 

 Weaves the nice curtains of his silken bed; 

 Web within web involves his larva form, 

 Alike secured from sunshine and from storm; 

 For twelve long days he dreams of blossom'd groves, 

 Untasted honey, and ideal loves." 







So far there has been nothing unusual transpire, but listen to 

 the sequel: 



"Wakes from his trance, alarmed with young desire, 



Finds his new sex, and feels ecstatic fire; 



From flower to flower, with honeyed lip he springs, 



And seeks his velvet loves on silver wings." 



The insect referred to undoubtedly is the true silk-worm 

 (Bombyx mori), but the male of this species takes little or no 

 food and is utterly unable to fly even a short distance, not to 

 mention flitting "from flower to flower." 



Doubtless, because of the musical quality of their songs, the 

 Orthoptera of poetry occupy a prominent place. Considered 

 taxonomically, several groups and even a few species are clearly 

 recognizable; for instance, there is no mistaking the following for 

 a member of the Acridiidae: 



"The russet grasshopper at times is heard, 

 Snapping his many wings, as half he flies, 



Half hovers in the air." 



Carlos Wilcox. 



Strange to say, poets are wont to ascribe all the injury oc- 

 casioned by the Orthoptera to the "locust," which many of 

 them evidently know chiefly through Biblical mention, as the 

 following: 



"What it devours not, herb, or fruit, or grain, 

 A darksome cloud of locusts swarming down 

 Must eat, and on the ground leave nothing green." 



Milton: Paradise Lost. 



On the other hand, the poet's delineation of the grasshopper 

 persistently depicts it as the very happiest and most care-free 



