CH. XIII.] HISTORY OF THE CICADA. 195 



those of Java utter a sound as shrill and piercing as 

 that of a trumpet. Capt. Hancock informed Mr. 

 Kirby that the Brazilian cicadae sing so loud as to be 

 heard at the distance of a mile. The sound of the 

 North American has been compared to the ringing 

 of horse-bells. The tettix of the Greeks must have 

 had quite a different voice, more soft, and surely 

 more melodious, otherwise the fine orators of 

 Homer, who are compared to it, can be looked upon 

 as no better than loud loquacious scolds. To excel 

 the cicada in singing was the highest commendation, 

 and the music of Plato's eloquence was only com- 

 parable tolhe voice of this insect. 



The females are not capable of making any noise, 

 which appears to have been well known to the an- 

 cients, for the Rhodian poet Xenorchus says, 



" Happy the cicadas' lives, 

 Since they all have voiceless wives." 



Aristotle mentions these insects as a delicious 

 food; he preferred the young males, but more espe- 

 cially the females prior to their laying their eggs. 



The simultaneous appearance of the Cicada sep- 

 temdecim over a vast extent of country, and the 

 countless myriads of their numbers, equally arrest 

 our attention. We are informed that " they have 

 made their appearance at Marietta, Ohio, North 

 America, at three different periods since their first 

 settlement, viz.: in the year 1795, again in 1812, 

 and again in 1829 ; they commence their ascent 

 from the earth the last days of May and first days 

 of June, and disappear the beginning of July, two or 

 three days earlier or later, according to the temper- 

 ature of the season. 



"The month of May," in the year 1829, "was 

 very warm, and the cicadae made their appearance 

 rather earlier than before. By the 15th of the month 

 they had risen so near to the surface of the earth, 

 that the depth of a common furrow in ploughing^ 



