736 A. E. Verrill — The Bermuda Islands. 



some other notable habits. Among those that they particularly men- 

 tioned was a large Cicada* which had a peculiar musical note, sound- 

 ing to them like the whirring of a spinning-wheel, hence the name 

 " Good Housewife " was given to it, according to Butler. Although 

 it resembles the common North American species ( C. tibicen), to 

 which it has been referred by authors, its musical note is quite dis- 

 tinct. It lives in the cedars, and at present is usually called " Scissors 

 Grinder," from its note. 



A grasshopper is also mentioned as common. This was probably 

 the common green Conocephalus dissimilis Serv. (fig. 191). Cock- 

 roaches, ants, flies, caterpillars, grubs, and beetles, were mentioned, 

 but they cannot be identified with certainty. 



The Corn Weevil (fig. 152), which soon became very injurious to 

 their stored corn, was doubtless introduced from Europe by the 

 earliest settlers. 



* Cicada Bermudiana, sp. nov. Plate lxxxiii, Figures 1, 2. In size and form 

 similar to C. tibicen. Body and head mostly black above ; dark yellowish brown 

 and smoky brown beneath, with a pale bluish-gray bloom on the thorax ; abdo- 

 men nearly black posteriorly. Thorax strongly sculptured above ; lateral 

 margins of thorax, in front of wings, yellowish, with a black spot on the edge ; 

 on middle of anterior part, a x-shaped or anchor-shaped mark of dull yellowish ; 

 metathorax marked with a raised X-shaped figure, the central part forming a 

 strong, short, transverse ridge, with a deep pit before and behind it ; anterior 

 arms of X are incurved and connect with a slightly H-shaped yellow figure, 

 its anterior end enclosing a black, slightly bilobed area, the W-shaped yellow 

 figure much less distinct than in C. tibicen. Legs and operculum of musical 

 organ yellowish brown ; proboscis paler, blackish at tip, reaching to between 

 the hind legs. Nervures of wings orange-brown, or dark brown, the color con- 

 spicuous on the front margin, blackish near base. 



Sexes scarcely differ in color ; size varies considerably. 



Length. 



Largest male 33 rom 



Smallest male 31 



Female 29 



Described from specimens collected by T. G. Gosling in summer and pre- 

 served for a short time in formalin. 



This is much darker than C. tibicen (pi. lxxxiii, fig. 3) and the yellow markings 

 on the thorax are much less distinct and somewhat different in form. The 

 W-shaped or M-shaped mark is differently shaped, smaller, and not so well 

 defined ; the anterior margin and nervures of the wings are much more strongly 

 colored. Its musical note is quite different and less musical, sounding much 

 like that made by a dry grindstone, hence its name of " scissors grinder." Its 

 larva is said to feed on the roots of cedar, but this needs confirmation. 



