THE CICADAS LAST SONG 



255 



brim in the spring a full-fledged hornet, with its 

 mouth watering at the thought of cicadas. 



What a strange wonder - working medicine is 

 this which the hornet carries in its laboratory ! 

 In the guise of death it yet prolongs life indefi- 



nitely. The ordinary existence of the cicada, for 

 instance, is but a few weeks at most, and yet it is 

 claimed by Mr. Riley that if for any reason the 

 egg of the wasp should fail to hatch, the paralyzed 

 cicada will remain in its condition of suspended 

 animation for a year, and presumably longer. 

 Here is a suggestion for the materia medica 



