INSECT MUSICIANS SNODGRASS 425 



its row of extremely coarse rasping ridges. The same vein on the 

 right wing (B) is much smaller and has no file, but the inner basal 

 angle of the tympanum is produced into a large lobe bearing a strong 

 scraper (s) on its margin. 



The writer has listened to the katydids out of doors in Massa- 

 chusetts, Connecticut, Maryland, Virginia, and Indiana. While 

 the notes of the Hoosiers are not distinctly recalled, it is very notice- 

 able that the song of the katydids about Washington is much less 

 harsh and grating in tone than is that of the New Englanders. 

 The katydids heard near Amherst, Mass., and near Wallingford, 

 Conn., uttered always two syllables much more commonly than three, 

 and the sounds can be represented only as a harsh squd-wdk', squa- 

 wdk', squd-wdk', the second syllable a little longer than the first. 

 This is not the case with those that say ka-ty. When there are three 

 syllables the series is squd-wd-wdk' '. If all New England katydids 

 sing thus it is not surprising that some New England writers have 

 failed to see how the insects ever got the name of " katydid." Scud- 

 der says "their notes have a shocking lack of melody" and he 

 represents the sound by xr. He attended a katydid concert at 

 Springfield, Mass., and records that the song is usually of only two 

 syllables : " that is," he says, " they rasp their fore wings twice rather 

 than thrice; these two notes are of equal (and extraordinary) em- 

 phasis, the latter about one-quarter longer than the former; or if 

 three notes are given, the first and second are alike and a little 

 shorter than the last." 



The katydids in the vicinity of Washington, D. C, certainly say 

 " katy-did " as plainly as any insect could. Of course the sound is 

 more literally to be represented as hd ki-kdk', accented on the last 

 syllable. When only two syllables are pronounced they are always 

 the first two and the couplet sounds quite different from the squawk- 

 ing squd-wdk' of the New England katydids. Sometimes an indi- 

 vidual in a band utters four syllables, " katy-she-did " or hd ki-kd- 

 kdk', and again a whole band is heard singing in four notes with 

 only an occasional singer giving three. It is said that in certain 

 parts of the South the katydid is called a " cackle- jack," a name 

 which, it must be admitted, is a very literal translation of its notes, 

 but one lacking in sentiment and unbefitting an artist of such repute. 



When we listen to insects singing, the question always arises of 

 why they do it, and we might as well admit that we do not know what 

 motive impels them. It is probably an instinct with the males to use 

 their stridulating organs, but in many cases the tones emitted are 

 clearly modified by the physical or emotional state of the player. 

 The music seems in some way to be connected with the mating of 

 the sexes, and the usual idea is that the sounds are attractive to the 

 females. With many of the crickets, however, the real attraction that 



