IBtcttonarii at &mmateXf 



131 



governed by the laws 

 but in such as arise fr 



little creatures when liberated from the shell 

 are very lively, and their movements are 

 nearly as quick as those of ants. After a 

 few moments their instincts prompt them to 

 get to the ground, but in order to reach it 

 they do not descend the body of the tree, 

 neither do they cast off themselves precipi- 

 tately ; but running to the side of the limb, 

 they deliberately loosen their hold, and fall 

 to the earth. The instinct which impels them 

 thus fearlessly to precipitate themselves from 

 the trees, from heights of which they can 

 have formed no conception, without any ex- 

 perience or knowledge of the result of their 

 adventurous leap, is still more remarkable 

 than that which carries the gosling to the 

 water as soon as it is hatched. In those ac- 

 tions, that are the result of foresight, of me- 

 mory, or of experience, animals are con- 

 trolled by their own reason, as in those to 

 which they are led by the use of their ordi- 

 nary senses or by the indulgence of their 

 common appetites they may be said to be 

 s of their organization ; 

 rom special and extra- 

 ordinary instincts, we see the most striking 

 proofs of that creative wisdom which has 

 implanted in them an unerring guide, where 

 reason, the senses, and the appetites would 

 fail to direct them. On reaching the ground 

 the insects immediately bury themselves in 

 the soil, burrowing by means of their broad 

 and strong fore-feet, which, like those of the 

 mole, are admirably adapted for digging. 

 They do not appear ordinarily to descend 

 very deep into the ground, but remain 

 where roots are most abundant. The only 

 alteration to which they are subject during 

 the long period of their subterranean con- 

 finement, is an increase of size, and the more 

 complete development of the four small 

 scale-like prominences on their backs, which 

 represent and actually contain their future 

 wings. 



As the time of their transformation ap- 

 proaches, they gradually ascend towards the 

 surface, making in their progress cylindrical 

 passages, oftentimes very circuitous, and sel- 

 dom exactly perpendicular, the sides of 

 which are firmly cemented and varnished so 

 as to be waterproof. When the insect has 

 nearly approached the surface it takes up its 

 temporary habitation till the period for its 

 exit arrives. Here it remains during several 

 days, ascending to the top of the hole in fine 

 weather for the benefit of the warmth and 

 the air, and occasionally peeping forth ap- 

 parently to reconnoitre, but descending 

 again on the occurrence of cold or wet wea- 

 ther. When at length a favourable moment 

 arrives for them to come forth from their 

 subterranean retreats, they issue from the 

 ground in great numbers in the night, crawl 

 up the trunks of trees, or upon any other 

 object to which they can fasten themselves 

 securely by their claws. After having rested 

 awhile they prepare to cast off their skins, 

 which, in the mean time, have become dry 

 and of an amber colour. By repeated exer- 

 tions a longitudinal rent is made in the skin 

 of the back, and through this the included 



cases, and, crawling to a little distance, it 

 leaves its empty pupa skin, apparently en- 

 tire, still fastened to the tree. At first the 

 wing-covers and wings are very small and 

 opaque, but, being perfectly soft and flexible, 

 they soon stretch out to their full dimen- 

 sions, and in the course of a few hours the 

 superfluous moisture of the body evaporates, 

 and the insect becomes strong enough to fly. 

 During several successive nights the pupae 

 continue to issue from the earth ; above 1500 

 have been found to arise beneath a single 

 apple tree, and in some places the whole 

 surface of the soil, by their successive opera- 

 tions, has appeared as full of holes as a 

 honeycomb. Within about a fortnight after 

 their final transformation they begin to lay 

 their eggs, and in the space of six weeks the 

 whole generation becomes extinct. Fortu- 

 nately these insects are appointed to return 

 only at periods so distant, that vegetation 

 often has time to recover from the injury 

 inflicted by them. They have also many 

 enemies, which contribute to diminish their 



numbers. Their 

 the young, when 



they 



are eaten by birds ; 

 first issue from the 



mopterous insects, in the section 

 and correspond 



shell, are preyed upon by ants, which mount 

 the trees to feed upon them, or destroy them 

 when they are about to enter the ground. 

 Blackbirds cat them when turned up by the 

 plough in fields, and hogs are excessively 

 fond of them, and, when suffered to go at 

 large in the woods, root them up, and devour 

 immense numbers just before the arrival of 

 the period of their final tiansformation, 

 when they are lodged immediately under 

 the surface of the soil. We may mention 

 that one species has been found in this 

 country, where, however, it is rare; it has 

 been called Cicada Anglica, but seems not 

 to be distinct from a common European 

 species. 



CICADIDJS. The first family of Ho- 

 TRIMERA, 



with the Cicadce manni- 

 ferce of Linnzeus. It embraces the largest 

 insects in the order, one species measuring 

 between six and seven inches in the expanse 

 of its wings. [See CICADA.] 



CICINDELA: CICINDELIDJE ; or 

 TIGER BEETLES. A genus and family of 

 Coleopterous insects remarkable for the cele- 

 rity and vigour of their flight ; characterized 

 by the great projection of the eyes, long and 

 sharply pointed jaws ; thorax depressed and 

 nearly square ; and the legs and antenn.-e long 

 and slender. They are generally seen on the 

 wing in the hottest part of the day, chiefly 

 frequenting dry meadows, sandy plains or 

 heaths, or the banks of rivers. One of the 

 most striking genera is the Manticora, found 

 at the Cape of Good Hope. The common 

 GREEN TIGER-BEETLE (Cicindela campes- 

 tris), one of the most common European 

 species, is a highly beautiful insect, being 

 of a bright grass-green, with the elytra 

 each marked by five small, round, cream- 

 coloured spots : the head, thorax, and limbs 

 are of a rich gilded cast ; the eyes black 

 and prominent ; the legs long and slender. 



Cicada pushes its head and body, and with- j The larva of this insect lives in cylindrical 

 draws its wings and limbs from their separate i burrows, excavated by itself, and varying 



