92 



the insects were there in great numbers and were feeding quite gen- 

 erally. On practically every tree ])oth sexes were to be deserved, 

 ranging in numbers from 10 to 40, with their beaks stuck straight 

 down against the bark, to all appearances feeding after the usual 

 manner of homopterous insects. In numerous instances the insects 

 were observed, when disturbed, extracting the thread-like setie from 

 the plant tissue. The insect occurred most usually, in this young 

 pear and apple orchard, along the trunks and lai'ger limbs, which, 

 earl}' in the morning and rather late in the evening, were frequently 

 quite wet with sap which had exuded from the punctures made by the 

 seta? of the cicadas. This exudation of sap was frequently noticed to 

 immediately follow the withdrawal of the sucking apparatus of the 

 insects to such an extent as to run down the trunk a distance of 4 or 5 

 inches, and the loss of sap in this way and that taken up by the 

 insects would apparently be a considerable drain on the vitality of the 

 plant. 



Since the date of making the above observation at College Park on 

 June 5, 1 have paid special attention to the feeding habits of the cicadas 

 in other parts of Maryland, where my work has taken me, and without 

 exception, in every place visited throughout the range of the insect, 

 both sexes have been observed to be feeding in greater or less abun- 

 dance. At Hancock, in Washington County, the cicadas were very 

 numerous in a young apple orchard, from 6 to 18 being noted on the 

 several trees closely examined. At Annapolis Junction, in an orchard 

 of two-year-old peach trees, the insects were exceedingly abundant, 

 both feeding and ovipositing. On one undersized tree in this orchard 

 twenty-four cicadas were counted, each with its beak stuck straight 

 down against the bark, and the tree was quite wet along the larger 

 limbs and trunk by the sap exuded from the punctures made. In 

 large oak, maple, and probably other trees, the insects feed very 

 generally in the higher parts of the tree on the more tender branches 

 and limbs. I have been able to establish this l)y numerous observa- 

 tions with an opera glass from the higher windows of the several col- 

 lege buildings, which are surrounded with large trees of doubtless the 

 original forest growth. This habit of feeding in the higher parts of 

 forest trees will doubtless account to some extent for the opinion that 

 but little, if any, feeding is done, since here there would ordinaril}' 

 l)e but little chance of observation. While no attempt was made to 

 determine the various plants used as food, the cicada was observed 

 feeding on the following: Apple, pear, peach, Japan plum, maples 

 and oaks of several species, Carolina poplar, elm, hickory, and Ilex 

 opaca. 



To determine more definitely the extent to which the beak and setae 

 of the cicada were inserted into the tissues of the food plants, many 

 beaks were snipped oil", by the use of a tine pair of scissors as close to 



