BENEFITS AND INJURIES FROM TETTIGIDiE. IxXV 



Atkinsonii, Leth. ; I. niveosparsus, Leth. ; and I. clype- 

 alis, Leth.* 



Nearer home, the hop-plant is infested with the 

 pretty httle Euacanthus interruptus. It has been 

 accused of appreciably injuring the crop. This Tetti- 

 gonid, however, does not appear to be very plentiful 

 anywhere, and its attacks are probably limited to 

 small areas. Its usual range is sparsely over breezy 

 downs and cultivated inland areas. 



The salivary excretion of the Aphrophor^ does not 

 seem to be acrid, or to produce much injury to the 

 plants punctured by them for food. If it were other- 

 wise vegetation would much more suffer from the 

 many thousands of cuckoo-spits which sometimes 

 drain the juices of our green produce. 



Amongst the British Jassida; Limotettix sex-notata 

 does injury to our corn crops ; and Tijphlocijba solani, 

 Koll., in Austria greatly injures the tubers of the potato- 

 plant. 



Observations have been before noted as to the use 

 made of some Cicadae for human food. Pliny says 

 that the Parthians fed on them, not alone on account 

 of their nutritious qualities, but also because they 

 "opened the veins " (promoted the circulation?), and 

 excited a languid appetite. The white eggs of Cicadse 

 were eaten as delicacies by the old Greeks and the 

 Piomans : their feasts were often furnished with such 

 expensive dishes ; and the epicures discriminated 

 between the flavours of the early and late broods, 

 " gustui gratissima." As to the insects themselves, 

 gourmands were particular as to their stages of ma- 

 turity, the younger males and pup^ being considered to 

 be, as in Aristotle's time, the most delicate in flavour, f 



It may be useless for us now to speculate on the 

 grounds of belief in former ages as to the healing 

 properties of certain animals and plants. 



■''• Vide 'Indian Museum Notes,' vol. i., pp. 5 and 187, PI. XII., fig. 1. 



f ffilian saw " connexas Cicadas " offered for sale in the markets for 

 food, so that the coarsest animals were purchased in order that nothing 

 (rare?) should be wanting in their feasts. 



