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markings on its back represent to these fertile ima- 

 ginations the head of a perfect skeleton, with the 

 limb bones crossed beneath ; its cry becomes the 

 voice of anguish, the moaning of a child, the sig- 

 nal of grief; it is regarded not as the creation of a 

 benevolent being, but the device of evil spirits, 

 spirits enemies to man, conceived and fabri- 

 cated in the dark; and the very shining of its 

 eyes is thought to represent the fiery element 

 whence it is supposed to have proceeded. Flying 

 into their apartments in the evening, it at times 

 extinguishes the light, foretelling war, pestilence, 

 hunger, death, to man and beast. We pity, rather 

 than ridicule, these fears ; their consequences being 

 painful anxiety of mind and suffering of body. 

 However, it seems these vain imaginations are flit- 

 ting away before the light of reason and experience. 

 In Germany, as in England, they were first ob- 

 served on the jasmine, but now exclusively upon 

 the potato, though they will enter the beehives, to 

 feed on the honey found in them. This insect has 

 been thought to be peculiarly gifted in having a 

 voice, and squeaking like a mouse, when handled 

 or disturbed ; but in truth no insect that we know 

 of has the requisite organs to produce a genuine 

 voice. They emit sounds by other means, probably 

 all external. The grasshopper and the cricket race 

 effect their well known and often wearisome chirpings 

 by grating their spiny thighs against their rigid 



