Season 0/I8I6. 225 



The locust is so called, probably from its appearing in 

 great numbers at times, like the Asiatic insects common- 

 ly known by that name ; but in this respect only does it 

 distantly resemble the truly formidable Gryllus migrato- 

 rius et tartaricus, which, I need not inform you, are con- 

 sidered as more destructive than any other known spe- 

 cies of animals. The name Locust is therefore impro- 

 perly applied to our Cicada, and ought to be rejected. 



This insect is well known to the systems, it was de- 

 scribed by Linne under the name of Cicada septendecim, 

 and by Fabricius under that of Tettigonia septendecim. 

 Latreille and Lamarck, in their systems, retain the for- 

 mer generic name. Besides very numerous accounts in 

 our public prints, of the Cicada or locust ; an account of 

 it is inserted in the Stockholm Transactions, as early 

 as the year 1756, and I believe in the Trans. Royal Soc. 

 Lond. of the same year, by Collinson, with a figure. 

 Kalm, in his travels, says they appear about the middle 

 of May. Stoll, in the year 1788, gives a figure and short 

 description, in his large work u der Cicaden" The de- 

 scriptive words of Fabricius, in his Systema Rhyngo- 

 torum, are " T. nigra elytris albis: costajlava." This 

 description is, it is true, too laconic and unessential to be 

 good for any thing, but his allusion is well known by the 

 specific name and synonyms. That the eggs are hatch- 

 ed the same season in which they are deposited, is cer- 

 tain ; the young enter the earth immediately, and there 

 remain for seventeen years, before they are ready to ap- 

 pear in the perfect state, and it is highly probable, dur- 

 ing all that time, are in an active state. 



With respect to the corn grubs I know but little. 1 

 had been accustomed to see them in the fields for seve- 



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