AUGUST. 



" If the Grecian Tettix, or Cicada, had been dis- 

 tinguished by a harsh and deafening note, like those 

 of some other countries, it would hardly have been 

 an object of such affection. That it was not, is 

 clearly proved by the connexion which was sup- 

 posed to exist between it and music. Thus the sound 

 of this insect and of the harp were called by one 

 and the same name. A Cicada, sitting upon a harp, 

 was a usual emblem of the science of music, which 

 was thus accounted for : ' When two rival musi- 

 cians, Eunomus and Ariston, were contending upon 

 that instrument, a Cicada, flying to the former, and 

 sitting upon his harp, supplied the place of a broken 

 string, and so secured to him the victory.' " 



As far as it is at present known respecting the 

 vocal powers of the Cicada3 and the Locustce, it ap- 

 pears that the whole of the foregoing quotation will 

 more strictly apply to the latter than to the former ; 

 but if it can be clearly shown, on equal authority 

 with these Gems, that the Grecian Tettix is the 

 Cicada, or Tettigonia, of modern entomologists, it 

 will follow that the Greeks were in the habit of in- 

 cluding both families under the same appellation. 

 See Plate 96, of Engravings of Gems from the 

 Florentine Gallery ; or a copy in the Continued 

 Appendix to Calmet's Dictionary of the Bible, 

 page 77. 



