286 RAPID TRANSFORMATIONS. 



removed by violence, this frothy veil is gradually renewed ; but 

 as its little wearer approaches maturity it becomes curtailed and 

 thinner. Then is our time, if we wish to acquire from this 

 Tom Thumb of tree-hoppers some slender notion of his com- 

 paratively gigantic relative, the Grecian Singer, to pluck him, 

 with leaf and branch, from his native tree, and set him up 

 under a glass for inspection or exhibition. The veil of froth 

 having shrunk to a film, we shall then discern, as each part of 

 the insect emerges from a previous skin, first, a large, flat, 

 frog-shaped head, with eyes set wide apart ; then a triangular 

 neck or shoulder-piece, flanked by small protuberances, which 

 might seem apologies for wings j and, lastly, a short annulated 

 body, pointed at the extremity. Six legs, of which the hinder 

 pair, more strong and lengthy than their fellows, bespeak 

 endowments of a leaping character, will complete, to all 

 appearance, the somewhat grotesque figure of our little tree- 

 hopper, or frog-hopper, as he is more generally called. But, 

 though thus unveiled and thus uncased (his skin perfect even 

 to the legs, left behind him in silvery emptiness, like a shadow 

 of his former self) we shall yet have to wait a little longer 

 before we can behold him altogether a thing complete. He 

 lacks not wings, only his wings want expansion ; but, after 

 about ten minutes, occupied in their unfolding from out the 

 little shoulder-knots which yet encase them, will appear, in 

 readiness for flight, two large transparent pinions, defended 

 outwardly by a pair of less delicate texture. When the latter 

 have put on their colours, most often variegated brown and 

 white, behold a final and ample finish to the exterior of our 

 frog-hopper, who, as soon as released from crystal durance, 

 will afford, in agile spring, half-flight, half-leap, an ocular 

 demonstration of the fitness of his name. 1 



One of the largest and most conspicuous, both for size arid 

 song, of our native grasshoppers, is the " Large Green ;" 2 with 



1 See Vignette to " Insect Minstrelsy." 



2 Acrida viridlssima. Vignette to " Insect Minstrelsy." 



