66 NORTH AMERICAN INSECTS. 
land, Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, etc. This insect also appeared 
again nine years after (1843), in innumerable swarms, in the 
Middle, Southern, and Western States; and at every appear- 
ance the newspapers say, ‘‘ This is the year of the resurrec- 
tion of the Seventeen-years’ Locust, it being now seventeen 
years since it was last observed.” ‘The editors of the New 
York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Alexandria newspapers 
must, therefore, be very incorrect chronologists, or the years 
in those cities are much shorter than oaWhie: 
Now it is a fact that during my twenty-seven years’ 
residence in this country not a single summer has passed 
without my seeing some of these Red-eyed Cicadas in one 
or other of the States, and hence I must maintain that the 
name Seventeen-years’ Locust is incorrect.* 
* As our distinguished entomologist, Dr. Harris, disagrees with me 
with regard to the duration of life of the Red-eyed Cicada, I can not 
omit to quote his opinions on this subject, which he communicated to 
me in the subsequent letter: 
‘* CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, January 10, 1855. 
‘¢ Professor B. Jaeger: 
“Dear Smr,—On the evening of fie 2d instant Professor Agassiz 
put into my hands, as coming from you, a copy of your work on 
North American Insects. I have carefully read it with much inter- 
est, and am particularly pleased with the anecdotes respecting the 
celebrated persons whom you have known. In your account of the 
Cicada septemdecim you maintain, contrary to the current belief in 
this country, that the term of life of this insect is not extended to 
seventeen years, but is limited to only about two years; stating that 
in the course of twenty-two years’ residence in this country not a 
single summer has passed without your seeing some of them in one 
or other of the States. You are not singular in your opinion, such 
having been often expressed b¥ gentlemen from Europe who have 
visited this country—as was the case, I believe, with Professor Agas- 
siz, and certainly with some of the scientific gentlemen who accom- 
panied him, but who have subsequently arrived at entirely different 
conclusions, and now acknowledge that the popular belief seems to 
be well founded. I beg you to understand that it is not now, and 
probably never has been maintained, that the Seventeen-years’ Cicada 
appears at one and the same time, or in the same year, in all parts 
