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ixiv 
from Mr. A. Loveridge and Mr. C. F. M. Swynnerton. He 
also exhibited 2 ¢¢ and 4 99 sent by these naturalists, 
and called attention to the beautiful structure of the sound- 
producing organ. 
“ Miombo-Kilossa Rd., 6.xii.19. At a point about two 
miles from Kilossa at 7 a.m. the noise of these insects was 
perfectly deafening. I have never heard such a chorus of 
insect life; great numbers were flying about the tops of the 
trees, and they were settled on all the small bushes in con- 
siderable numbers. When a pair were together the courting 
male took up a position on the underside of the twig or branch, 
whilst the female was directly above. The male would then 
move round to the upper surface and pairing would take 
place. A pair of Wood Hoopoes (Irrisor erythrorhynchus) 
disporting themselves in the trees, added to the din. A. L.” 
Mr. Swynnerton’s observations, made on the same occasion, 
were contained in a letter of Dec. 24, 1920 :— 
“T will add to Mr. Loveridge’s note my own memories of 
the observation. Personally I saw the Cicadas courting also 
on vertical twigs, though the horizontal position was more 
usual. The male always headed in the same direction as the 
female. The stridulation was distinctly to charm the female 
into acquiescence, for the male continued it steadily, his whole 
body vibrating, until at last he came round and gently attempted 
copulation. In one instance, in which he failed—owing 
apparently to the female’s not having been brought to the 
necessary pitch of sensuality—he went back and sang again, 
the female still remaining. The courtship lasted a very long 
time in each case watched, certainly ten or fifteen minutes 
and probably often far longer. The insects were very easily 
captured by hand when in coité, attempting to escape in 
most cases merely by falling or gliding to the ground together, 
but were wary and readily disturbed while still courting. It 
was between seven and eight in the morning and more or less 
sunny. The woodland formation was tree-savannah—the 
pasture grasses, already eight to twelve inches high after 
burning and thunder-showers, and the open tree and shrub 
growth dominated by thorny Acacia, Dalbergia, and Com- 
bretum, all coming on well in young leaf. I did not note any 
72 
sal tent. 
