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The Dog Day Harvest Fly, or Lyreman, is the Cicada that is 

 best known to us through the northern and middle states. This 

 appears in small numbers every year and is a distinct addition to 

 the summer chorus of insect singers. He is larger and much 

 more dignified in appearance than is his cousin septendecim. He 

 wears a black suit embroidered with scrolls of dark olive green 

 and the whole lower surface of his body is covered wuth white 

 powder. His drums are situated above plates which may be seen 

 on the lower side of the body, one behind each hind leg. He 

 hides in trees and hts shrill music is so associated with the heat 

 of summer noons that the sound itself makes one drows^^ The 

 hermit life of the lyremen in underground cells is supposed to 

 last only two years. 



While the Cicadas of which we have spoken are the children 

 of an ancient race which inhabits America, Europe also has 

 her ancient races of Cicadas, although they are not the kind who 

 live hermit lives for seventeen 3'ears. We have evidence that 

 their music was held in high esteem by the ancient races of men — 

 especially the Greeks. When Homer complimented his orators 

 he compared them with Cicadas. Thus it may lend a special 

 interest to the study of the Cicada b}- our Junior Naturalists 

 when they know^ that his kettle drums have been celebrated 

 instruments of music by poets who wTote three thousand years 

 before America w'as discovered b}^ Columbus. 



Queries for Sharp Eyes. 



When did you first see one of the Cicadas ? 



What was it doing when you found it ? 



Did it do anything to attract your notice to it, or did you find 

 it by accident? 



Where did you find it? 



See if you can determine which are the father and which the 

 mother Cicadas. 



Try to find where a mother Cicada has laid some eggs. 



If you find where the Cicada emerged from the ground, or 

 from a hut, give a brief description of the location, as to kind 

 of soil, etc. 



Where did you find the most of the cast off nymph skins ? 



Did you discover animals or birds feeding upon the Cicada ? 



