NOISES OF INSECTS. 403 



o'uished by a harsh and deafening- note, like those of 

 some other countries, it would hardly have been an ob- 

 ject of such affection. That it was not, is clearly proved 

 by the connection which was supposed to exist between 

 it and music. Thus the sound of this insect and of the 

 harp were called by one and the same name^. A Ci- 

 cada sitting upon a harp was a usual emblem of the sci- 

 ence of music, which was thus accounted for : — When 

 two rival musicians, Eunomus and Ariston, were con- 

 tending* upon that instrument, a Cicada flying- to the 

 former and sitting upon his harp, supplied the place of 

 a broken string, and so secured to him the victory'*. 

 To excel this animal in singing seems to have been the 

 highest commendation of a singer ; and even the elo- 

 quence of Plato was not thought to suffer by a compa- 

 rison with it*^. At Surinam the noise of the Tettigoma 

 Tibicen is still supposed so much to resemble the sound 

 of a harp or lyre, that they are called there harpers 

 {Lierman)^. Whether the Grecian Cicadae maintain 

 at present their ancient character for music, travellers 

 do not tell us. 



Those of other countries, however, have been held 

 in less estimation for their powers of song ; or rather 

 have been execrated for the deafening din that they 

 produce. Virgil accuses those of Italy of bursting the 

 very shrubs with their noise® ; and Dr. Smith observes 

 that this species, which is very common, makes a most 

 disagreeable dull chirping ^ Another, Tettigonia sep- 

 tendecim — which fortunately, as its name imports, ap- 



" Gr, ri»tTi(r//.a. " Mouffet, Theair. 130. 



'^ 'HSyea-sj XlXarcay, km rtrjt^tv isoXaXoi. "^ Meriau Surinam. 49. 



" Et cantu querulas rumpent arbusta cicadaj. Georg. iii. 328. 

 ' Smith's Tour, iii. 95. 



2 D 2 



