NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



Black-headed froghopper. 



the length of two or three inches full of eggs, 

 ranged in close lines, with from twelve to eight- 

 teen in each. She always darts to the pith of 

 the branch, in order that the larva?, when they 

 proceed from the eggs, may find food proper for 

 their tender state. When these are full grown 

 they drop off, and make their way into the 

 ground to prepare for a change. Here they are 

 sometimes found at the depth of two feet or 

 upwards. 



Very shortly, after attaining their perfect state, 

 these insects always spread over the country for 

 many miles round. They are exceedingly vora- 

 cious, and do infinite damage, in their periodical 

 swarm ings, to both orchard and forest trees. 



The black- headed froghopper is another spe- 

 cies of the cicada. The perfect insect is of a 

 brown colour, and has on the upper wings two 

 lateral whitish spots. It is very common in mea- 

 dows and pastures, and is so agile, that, when at- 

 tempted to be caught, it will sometimes spring 

 to the distance of two or three feet. 



The larvae, or grubs of this insect discharge 

 from their bodies, upon the branches and leaves 

 of plants, a kind of frothy matter, called by the 

 country people in many parts of England " cuc- 

 koo-spit." In the midst of this the larva goes 

 through its metamorphosis to a chrysalis, and a 

 winged insect. In about a quarter of an hour 

 the whole change is completed, the fly is libe- 

 rated, its wings are extended over its body., and 

 3 



