THE CICADA 26 



tries to destroy them. It is a real scourge to the Cicada 

 family. It is amazing to watch her calm and brazen audacity 

 in the presence of the giant who could crush her by simply 

 stepping on her. I have seen as many as three preparing to 

 despoil one unhappy Cicada at the same time, standing close 

 behind one another. 



The Cicada has just stocked a cell with eggs, and is climb- 

 ing a little higher to make another cell. One of the brigands 

 runs to the spot she has just left ; and here, almost under 

 the claws of the monster, as calmly and fearlessly as though 

 she were at home, the Gnat bores a second hole above the 

 Cicada's eggs, and places among them an egg of her own. 

 By the time the Cicada flies away most of her cells have, in 

 this way, received a stranger's egg, which will be the ruin of 

 hers. A small quick-hatching grub, one only to each cell, 

 handsomely fed on a dozen raw eggs, will take the place of 

 the Cicada's family. 



This deplorable mother has learnt nothing from centuries 

 of experience. Her large and excellent eyes cannot fail to 

 see the terrible felons fluttering round her. She must know 

 they are at her heels, and yet she remains unmoved, and 

 lets herself be victimised. She could easily crush the wicked 

 atoms, but she is incapable of altering her instincts, even to 

 save her family from destruction. 



Through my magnifying-glass I have seen the hatching 

 of the Cicada's eggs. When the grub first appears it has a 

 marked likeness to an extremely small fish, with large black 

 eyes, and a curious sort of mock fin under its body, formed 

 of the two fore-legs joined together. This fin has some power 

 of movement, and helps the grub to work its way out of 

 the shell, and also a much more difficult matter out of the 

 fibrous stem in which it is imprisoned. 



As soon as this fish-like object has made its way out of 

 the cell it sheds its skin. But the cast skin forms itself into 

 a thread, by which the grub remains fastened to the twig or 

 stem. Here, before dropping to the ground, it treats itself to 



