SONG NOTES. 85 
but the most careful study made is that by Professor Riley, who 
distinguishes three important notes as characteristic of different sea- 
sons or conditions of the aerial life of the male insect. 
The loudest and most characteristic note, and the one which is per- 
haps most familiar to the popular mind, is the note described by 
Fitch as ‘represented by the letters tsh-e-e-H-E-E-K-e-ou, uttered 
continuously and prolonged to a quarter or half minute in leneth, the 
middle note deafeningly shrill, loud, and piercing to the ear, and its 
termination gradually lowered until the sound expires.” The length 
of this note given by Fitch is probably the maximum term and is 
unusual. Ordinarily it is much shorter, ranging from two or three 
to five or ten or even twenty seconds. This note is the character- 
istic one of the height of the season, when great numbers of males 
are singing together, and is rarely made by solitary individuals or 
when there are only a few together. Some instinct also seems to 
prompt the singing in unison, and as it rises at such moments the 
intensity and volume of sound has a startling and weird effect. 
The second important note is what is ordinarily known as the * Pha- 
y-r-r-aoh” note, and is made early in the season, or when the males 
are few in number and recently emerged. The termination of this 
note is notable even more than the last for its peculiar mournful 
cadence and lowering of pitch, which is very characteristic. It lasts 
but two or three seconds. It has been compared, rather fancifully, 
I think, by Professor Riley to the whistling of a train passing thr ugh 
a short tunnel, or, when made by several individuals, more accu- 
rately to the croaking of certain frogs. 
A third, but less important, note is the clicking or intermittent 
chirping, consisting of from 15 to 30 short, quick sounds, sometimes 
double, the whole lasting about five seconds, and resembling the 
sharp clicking of the chimney swift or some of the field crickets. 
When disturbed and at the moment of taking flight the insect is apt 
to make a short’ery or sharp chirp. 
Allof these notes are said to occur in the small cassinii form, but of 
higher pitch and less volume, but the clicking note seems to be the 
characteristic one of this variety. 
The strength and clearness of all the notes vary with the weather 
conditions. They are loudest when the air is dry and warm and 
clear, or between the hours of 11 and 3 o'clock. On wet days, or 
when the air is unusually moist, the sound is much diminished, and 
heavy or continued rains stop it for the time altogether. 
While it is almost universally true that the song of the Cicada is 
never heard between sunset and sunrise, they will, on very rare occa- 
sions, when disturbed, start up singing in concert in the middle of 
@ Science, September 25, 1895. 
