BUGS. 99 



&c. Indeed it was regarded by all as the happiest, 

 as Ayell as the most innocent of animals. 



By both Greeks and Romans, it was also considered 

 as an excellent article of food, particularly the female 

 before she had deposited her eggs, and Aristotle says 

 of it, " Quo tempore gustu suavissimse sunt" — At which 

 time they taste very sweet. 



The genus Cicada is found in all the temperate 

 climates and warm countries of the globe. In the 

 south and east of Europe they are continually singing, 

 and continually an object of admiration. They dwell 

 upon the olive and other trees, but principally upon 

 the ash, from the bark of which, when pierced by 

 their stings, there exudes a liquid substance, which 

 becoming dry, is known under the name of " manna," 

 and which some have supposed to be identical with 

 that manna of which the Israelites did eat in the 

 wilderness. This supposition, however, is probably 

 incorrect, because the substance of which we speak 

 is very cathartic, and is used as such even at the 

 present day. But Ehrenberg discovered another 

 species on Mount Sinai, produced upon the Tamarisk 

 tree by the stings of a Plant-louse (Coccus Mannipa- 

 rus), which tastes like honey, and which may possibly 

 be identical with that mentioned in the Bible. 



The Red-eyed Cicada (Cicada Septemdecim, Tab. 

 IV. Fig. 17), with red-bordered wings, and the I/yer- 



