AUGUST. 259 



cages, which they name Grilleria, for the sake of 

 their song." 



They add, that " Tettigonia, F., called by the 

 Ancient Greeks by whom they were often kept in 

 cages for the sake of their song Tettix, seem to have 

 been the favourites of every Grecian bard, from 

 Homer and Hesiod to Anacreon and Theocritus 

 supposed to be perfectly harmless, and to live only upon 

 dew ; they were addressed by the most endearing epi- 

 thets, and were regarded as all but divine. One bard 

 entreats the shepherds to spare the innoxious Tettix, 

 that nightingale of the nymphs, and to make those 

 mischievous birds, the thrush and blackbird, their 

 prey. * Sweet prophet of the summer/ says Ana- 

 creon, addressing this insect, * the Muses love thee ; 

 Phoabus himself loves thee, and has given thee a 

 shrill song ; old age does not wear thee ; thou art 

 wise, earth-born, musical, impassive, without blood ; 

 thou art almost like a god.' So attached were the 

 Athenians to these insects, that they were accustomed 

 to fasten golden images of them in their hair, imply- 

 ing, at the same time, a boast that they themselves, 

 as well as the Cicadas, were Terras filii. They were 

 regarded indeed by all as the happiest as well as the 

 most innocent of animals not, we will suppose, for 

 the reason given by the saucy Rhodian Xenarchus, 

 when he says, 



Happy the Cicadas' lives, 



Since they all have voiceless wives.' 



