590 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 19 2 8 



reward. The cultures of men are rarely of a remunerative order, 

 but their role is as vital and as urgent in the disciplines and stimula- 

 tions of a happy and appreciative life as the mere needs of a roof, 

 something to eat, and something to wear. 



STUDYING THE STRIDULATIONS OF THE MUSICAL INSECTS 



The study of the musical moods and behaviors of the insect- 

 instrumentalists of the earth is no small matter. Musical insects are 

 world-wide in their distribution, and few have been intensively 

 studied, even in our own country. It is a fascinating subject, never- 

 theless. Insects have taken far more universally to sound production 

 than to light production. Strangely enough, some groups of beetles 

 have in a most spectacular way become adepts at light production, 

 just as the Orthoptera have become the great sound makers of the 

 earth. Somehow, there are weird analogies here, for the various fire- 

 flies have learned to handle light with all the moods and modes and 

 facilities with which the musical insects handle sound. They make 

 it as a continuous glow, they flash it intermittently, in certain social 

 moods they synchronize their flashings just as some of our tree 

 crickets synchronize their chirpings. 



There are wonderful possibilities ahead for the student of insect 

 sounds. There is the problem of making in some manner permanent 

 records of the sounds of the various insects. This appears never to 

 have been attempted. There is the problem of making motion pic- 

 tures of the insects during their musical activities. To do this would 

 be particularly desirable, since an accurate analysis of all their 

 wing movements could be determined, and the actual technique of the 

 musical strokes revealed in detail. It is going to be no simple mat- 

 ter, however, to photograph the more wary nocturnal species which 

 do their singing mainly in the dark. 



It is not sufficient merely to describe the impressions of the note 

 made by a particular insect. If possible, the technique of its pro- 

 duction should be carefully observed and recorded, because of the 

 vast and fundamental differences of behavior. The careful and 

 observant nature lover has a most fascinating field before him in all 

 parts of the world. In our own country the habits, stridulations, 

 technique, and other peculiarities of the forms west of the Missis- 

 sippi River merit much attention, for many fine katydids dwell 

 there, playing weird tunes upon their organic xylophones. Still 

 photographs at least could be made of the insects in life, and are 

 much needed, especially if they can be made of natural size. 



The story of our insect musicians and their distinctive moods has 

 as yet been touched by only a few observers. I am convinced, how- 

 ever, that if it were thoroughly worked out for all the musical in- 

 sects of the world we should uncover variations of technique and 



