200 NATURAL HISTORY. [cH. XIII. 



cells. They were about a twelfth of an inch in 

 length, witli the exact shape, colour, and appear- 

 ance of the parent when she first comes to the air, 

 and before bursting the transparent shell which 

 covered her while in her terrene abode. From the 

 fact that the young ones immediately seek a re- 

 treat in the earth, we are led to believe that these 

 insects are tenants of the ground for seventeen 

 years, and until He who created them again calls 

 them forth to propagate their kind, to fulfil their 

 destiny, and die. 



Another species is peculiar for being always found 

 imbedded in a white froth, generally called cuckoo 

 spit, which is often to be seen on the branches of 

 plants and the blades of long grass. If this be 

 carefully examined, a little grub or larva of the 

 Cicada spumaria will be discovered immersed in it. 

 This mass of froth is found during the advanced 

 stage of summer, and is the production of the in- 

 cluded larva, which, from the time of its hatching 

 from the egg, deposited by the parent insect, con- 

 tinues at intervals to suck the juices of the stem on 

 which it resides, and to discharge it in the form of 

 very minute bubbles ; and, by continuing this oper- 

 ation, completely covers itself with a large mass 

 of froth, which is sometimes so overcharged with 

 moisture that a drop may be seen falling from its 

 under surface. When the insect is about to under- 

 go its change into a perfect state, it ceases to ab- 

 sorb any longer the juices of the plant, and to dis- 

 charge the projecting froth, which, at this period, 

 forms a vaulted canopy over the insect, instead of 

 entirely investing it as before. Its colour, when 

 perfect, is brown, with two whitish bands across 

 the fore wings. It has the power of springing to a 

 great distance, which has caused it to be commonly 

 called the froghopper, from a supposed resemblance 

 to that animal in miniature. 



In the Island of Madagascar is found a species, 



