INSECTS : STINGS AND OVIPOSITORS. 135 



to widen and deepen the course, after the iiner points 

 have pioneered the way. 



The merry little jumping insects called Frog-hoppers 

 (Tettigonia), one of which in its larva state emits the 

 little mass of froth so common on shrubs, and called 

 cuckoo-spit, are furnished with a set of tools for their 

 own private carpentry, which, though less elaborate than 

 those of the saw-flies, are worthy of a moment's glance. 

 If we catch one of these vaulters, and gently press the 

 abdomen, we shall see proceeding from its hinder and 

 lower part a thickish piece, large compared with the size 

 of the insect, which it is then easy to extract with a pair 

 of fine-pointed pliers. I have just done this, and here 

 is the result on a slip of glass. 



First, there is a pair of brown protecting pieces, oblong 

 in form, and studded with hairs like the rest of the 

 exterior of the body. From between them projects what 

 resembles a lancet, of the usual translucent amber- 

 coloured horn, appropriated to these instruments (which 

 is to them what steel is to us) ; and this we shall pre- 

 sently discover to be composed of two blades exactly 

 alike, convex without and concave within, applied face 

 to face. One edge of this pair of implements is quite 

 smooth, but the other is cut into the most beautifully 

 regular and most minute teeth. 



This, however, is but the sheath. Within the two 

 spoon-shaped faces there lie two other lancets, blade to 

 blade, still finer and more delicate. Both edges of these 

 blades are of the most perfect keenness, without a flaw; 

 but their sides appear roughened with rows of very 

 minute horny knobs, like a rasp. 



I shall illustrate this demonstration by another extract 

 from Reaumur, premising, however, that his observations 

 refer to the large species of true Cicadce from warmer 

 latitudes, whose machinery seems to differ from that of 

 our little friends in some particulars. For example, the 



