XI 

 MUSICIANS 



Of a few Insect Musicians it may be said that 

 their power of producing sounds has been notorious 

 ever since the beginning of time. Some have 

 regarded these sounds as music, others as a wearying 

 noise, and they will continue probably to be so 

 diversely regarded according to the temperament 

 or the condition of health of the hearer. The 

 writer, being a person of mild disposition and 

 optimistic tendency, has boldly classed them all 

 as Music, and in so doing feels that he has the 

 great body of the poets with him. 



The poets — and others — it must be admitted 

 have made mistakes about this music. Some have 

 thought the insects had real vocal apparatus, others 

 that the sounds were produced solely by rapid 

 wing vibration. But, as one would expect to find 

 among creatures of such varied organization, a 

 similar end is reached by different means. Some 

 have a real vocal apparatus, though not connected 

 with the mouth ; but in most cases it is more akin 

 to the action of lyre and plectrum. 



The list of Insect Musicians is far too long to be 



253 



