The Foamy Cicadclla 



The vagrant creature, unequal to the toils and 

 delights of housekeeping, ejects it at random, 

 so they say, as it pays its flying visits to the 

 homes of others, in search of a resting-place 

 for its egg. 



The interpretation does credit to the 

 Cuckoo's salivary powers, but not to the in- 

 terpreter's intelligence. The other popular 

 denomination is worse still: "Frog-spit!" 

 My dear good people, what on earth has the 

 Frog or his slaver to do with it? * 



The shrewder Provengal peasant also 

 knows that vernal foam; but he is too cau- 

 tious to give it any wild names. My rustic 

 neighbours, when I ask them about Cuckoo- 

 spit and Frog-spit, begin to smile and see 

 nothing in those words but a poor joke. To 

 my questions on the nature of the thing they 

 reply : 



" I don't know." 



Exactly! That's the sort of answer I like, 

 an answer not complicated with grotesque 

 explanations. 



Would you know the real perpetrator of 

 this spittle? Rummage about the frothy 



*Kirby and other English naturalists refer to 

 Aphrophora spumaria as the Frothy Froghopper; but 

 this is rather because the insect's outline and hopping- 

 powers suggest those of a Frog.— Translator's Note. 



425 



