THE CIGALE 55 



at one, and the cone-shaped head of the egg^ give it 

 the look of a tiny fish without fins — a fish for whom 

 half a nut-shell would make a capacious aquarium. 



About the same time I notice frequently, on the 

 asphodels in the paddock and on those of the neigh- 

 bouring hills, certain indications that the eggs have 

 recently hatched out. There are certain cast-off articles 

 of clothing, certain rags and tatters, left on the 

 threshold of the egg-chamber by the new-born grubs 

 as they leave it and hurry in search of a new lodging. 

 We shall see in a moment what these vestiges mean. 



But in spite of my visits, which were so assiduous 

 as to deserve success, I had never contrived to see 

 the young Cigales emerge from their egg-chambers. 

 My domestic researches had been pursued in vain. 

 Two years running I had collected, in boxes, tubes, 

 and bottles, a hundred twigs of every kind which 

 were peopled by the eggs of the Cigale ; but not one 

 had shown me what I so desired to witness : the issue 

 of the new-born Cigales. 



Reaumur experienced the same disappointment. He 

 tells us how all the eggs supplied by his friends were 

 abortive, even when he placed them in a glass tube 

 thrust under his armpit, in order to keep them at a 

 high temperature. No, venerable master ! neither the 

 temperate shelter of our studies and laboratories, nor 

 the incubating warmth of our bodies is sufficient here ; 

 we need the supreme stimulant, the kiss of the sun ; 

 after the cool of the mornings, which are already 

 sharp, the sudden blaze of the superb autumn weather, 

 the last endearments of summer. 



It was under such circumstances, when a blazing 



