70 



NORTH AMERICAN INSECTS. 



with that manna of which the Israelites did eat in the wil- 

 derness. This supposition, however, is probably incorrect, 

 because the substance of which we speak is very cathartic, 

 and is used as such even at the present day. But Ehren- 

 berg discovered another species on Mount Sinai, produced 

 upon the Tamarisk-tree by the stings of a Plant-louse {Coc- 

 cus manniparus), which tastes like honey, and which may 

 possibly be identical with that mentioned in the Bible. 

 The Ked-eyed Cicada {Cicada Septemdecim, Fig. 17), with 



Figure 18. 



The Lyerman. 



red-bordered wings, and the Lyerman {Cicada tibicen, Fig. 

 18), with green-bordered wings, are the most conspicuous 

 species of North America. But the natural history of all 

 the different species is the same. All have an inflected 

 snout, very short setaceous antennse, four membranaceous 

 wings, and six feet. The females have a long, horny ovi- 

 positor, and only the males possess the singing organ, which 

 is an extended movable membrane on the under side of 

 the abdomen, by the rapid vibration of which they produce 

 their peculiarly loud and shrill sound. The females are all 



dumb. Virgil says : 



" — raucis 

 Sole sub ardenti resonant arbusta Cicadis." 



Or, in English rhyme : 



"While the scorching sun beats down upon the plain, 

 The bushes echo with the hoarse Cicada's strain." 



