7-' 



Marvels of Insect Life* 



downward stroke it carries into the fluid a minute portion of air, which becomes 

 imprisoned by the viscosity of the fluid, and so forms a tiny bubble. The process 

 constantly repeated converts the whole of the fluid into froth, and this by the same 

 movements is distributed all over and around the Insect, so that it is again entirely 

 hidden from enemies who would appreciate its tender and juicy body. 



The mature frog-hopper is a rather inconspicuous Insect, being coloured grey 

 with somewhat obscure markings, which are subject to considerable variation ; but 

 it has more brightly-coloured relations. In other countries there are Insects of the 

 same family that are not only considerably larger, but also conspicuously and 

 brightly coloured in their ultimate stage. It is these larger species in their earlier 

 stages that produce the phenomenon that has been exaggerated into the rain-tree, 

 weeping-tree, etc. Dr. Sharp refers to a species ^ in Madagascar whose production 

 of surplus moisture is so great that five or six dozen of them would about fill a quart 

 vessel in an hour and a half. Dr. Livingstone met with a species in Angola about 



Photo by] [H. Bast III. 



" Cuckoo-Spit." 



The so-called cuckoo-spit s not saliva. If it be blown aside a quaint little yellow Insect will be found with its beak planted in the 

 shoot, from which it sucks the juices. The nutriment extracted, the surplus fluid is passed off, and by continual movements of the 

 tail is whipped into the froth, which hides the Insect and keeps its delicate skin moist. 



seventy years ago, which, he said, was found in companies of seven or eight on the 

 smaller branches of trees allied to the fig, and he estimated that one such group 

 would in a single night produce three or four pints of fluid. It will be understood 

 that a tree that had many such companies upon its various branches would be 

 constantly running with water from the tips of the twigs. Every traveller is not 

 a naturalist, and would not dream of tracing these streams to the Insects that 

 were sucking at the younger shoots of the tree ; and so the story has grown that 

 the tree, out of the superabundance of water its roots are abstracting from hidden 

 sources deep in the earth, is watering the desert with fertilizing showers. 



A few years ago Mr. S. L. Hinde came across a large, bright yeUow species- in 

 British East Africa which is worth notice, apart from its production of mimic 

 showers, on account of the mimicry of flowers by the adult Insect. With their 



1 Ptj'elu-s f^oudoti. 



- P. flavesccns. 



