INSECTS 



31 



it is now definitely known that the bite of 

 certain kinds of mosquitoes is really dan 

 gerous. This is not on account of the 

 actual puncture made by the insect, but 

 due to the presence of the germs of ma 

 laria, which are introduced into the 

 wound from the infected insect. The 

 only mosquitoes which are definitely 

 known to transmit this malarial parasite 

 to man belong to the genus Anopheles. 

 The malarial parasite thus has two hosts, 

 mosquitoes belonging to the genus Ano 

 pheles and man. This parasite infests the 



stomach walls of the mosquito, where it 

 rapidly multiplies and becomes mature; 

 then escaping from this locality, accumu 

 lates in the salivary glands. From this 

 reservoir they are easily transferred to- 

 their human host at the time of sucking 

 blood. 



These aquatic insects which we have 

 discussed so briefly are only a few sam 

 ples from a very large number whose his 

 tory and habits are full of interest to 

 those who find the study of animal life a 

 fascinating subject. 



INSECT MUSIC. 



The peculiar sounds made by different produced is not known, though volumes 



insects, though usually known as insect have been written on the subject, 



music, are probably far from musical in The "mourning cloak" butterfly a 



the opinions of those who listen to it with dark species with a light border in its 



dread. Many superstitious people have wings makes a cry of alarm by rubbing 



firm belief in dire warnings concerning its wings together. 



certain calamities which "insect music 77 

 portends. 



For instance we are told that the 

 "deathwatch" is a popular name applied 

 to certain beetles which bore into the 

 walls and floors of old houses. They 



The katydids, crickets, grasshoppers 

 and other musical insects are all exagger 

 ated in the tropics, assuming giant form. 

 Thus their cries are proportionately 

 louder. 



There is an East Indian cicada which 



make a ticking sound by standing on their makes a remarkably loud noise. It is 



hind legs and knocking their heads called by the natives "dundub," which 



against the wood quickly and forcibly, means drum. From this name comes that 



Many superstitions have been entertained of the genus which is known as Dundu- 



respecting the noise produced by these bia. This is one of the few scientific 



insects, which is sometimes imagined to 

 be a warning of death. 



There are many insects, however, 

 which produce sound decidedly musical ; 

 and many such instances have been enum 

 erated. Everybody is familiar with the 

 music of the katydid. . Here it is the male 

 that has the voice. At the base of each 

 wing cover is a thin membraneous plate. 



terms from Sanskrit. 



Entomologists have succeeded in re 

 cording the cries of many insects by the 

 ordinary system of musical notation. But 

 this method does not show the actual 

 pitch, which is usually several octaves 

 above the staff. It merely serves to ex 

 press the musical intervals. 



It is known with reasonable certainty 



He elevates the wing covers, and rubs the that many insects have voices so highly 

 two plates together. If you could rub pitched that they cannot be heard with 

 your shoulder blades together you could the human ear. One evidence of this fact 

 imitate the operation very nicely. 



Certain grasshoppers make a sound 

 when flying that is like a watchman's rat 

 tle clacketty-clack, very rapidly re 

 peated. There are also some moths and 



butterflies which have voices. 



The "death's-head" moth makes a noise 

 when frightened that strikingly resembles communicating with each other, 

 the crying of a young baby. How it is 



is that some people can distinguish cries 

 of insects which are not audible to others. 

 But even if there are a few notes lost to 

 many of us, there is enough insect music 

 to prove vastly entertaining to those who 

 take interest in the insect world, and the 

 peculiar methods of its inhabitants in 



