iS PEOCEEDIlS'ftS or THE 



backwards often beyond tlae abdomen. In Cystosoma and Pi/clna 

 the cover is completely absent, and the abdomen greatly distended 

 with air. 



The Cicadidfe, then, are provided, so far as the male is concerned, 

 with a sound-producing apparatus which is probably more 

 powerful tlian any contrived by man.. If we consider that, 

 23utting aside the whole body of the instrument, the actual 

 machiue itself, and not the general resonant body, is not more 

 than a quarter of an inch across ; yet the sound produced by a 

 few of these insects congregated together is so intense, so loud, 

 that it is quite impossible to hear one's self speaking ; and 

 it is said that at a very long distance indeed it is just as 

 if you were in some manufacturing town, and the whirl of 

 machinery was going on with the fullest vigour. I have also 

 heard the note described as being the same as that produced if 

 one attempted to sharpen the edge of a large sheet of tin across 

 the surface of a very rapidly revolving grindstone. I must say, 

 I do not think I should like a musical instrument of that 

 character. 



I should probably weary you if I were to describe the sound- 

 producing organs of fish, Avhich are of a type different from any 

 other sound-producing organs ; but I will just point out the one 

 musical instrument which, so far as I am aware, corresponds with 

 these stridulating-organs. "We find this stridulating musical 

 instrument of man's invention, to the best of my knowledge, 

 only in New Gruinea, and there it is not often met with. 

 One of the native tribes use a very curious musical instru- 

 ment indeed. They take a gourd, which they hollow out after 

 cutting a hole at one end. Next they take the bone of a bird, 

 and notch it all over the surface so as to make it very rough ; 

 they then plug the end where they have cut it, and fasten m a 

 small delicate spine-like bone. This musical instrument is 

 played thus : — It is held so that the hand shoidd not check the 

 vibration ; the bone is put into the hollow vessel and is rubbed 

 against the edge of the opening so that it makes a creaking 

 sound. It is precisely equivalent, in all the fundamental features, 

 to a stridulating-apparatus. The violin does not exactly corre- 

 spond, but I think the instrument just described really does. 



Dr. Robert Braithwaite then moved the following resolution, 

 viz. : — " That the thanks of the Society be given to the President 

 for his excellent Address, and that he be requested to allow it to 

 be printed." This, having been seconded by Sir J. K. Gribson- 

 Maitlaud, was carried unanimously. 



The Linnean Grold Medal for the year was then presented to 

 Prof. Daniel Oliver. 



