Tower-Building Cicada. 99 



the eyes and the claws of the fore-legs, which are reddish. 

 It is clothed with small hairs. In form it is grub-like, larger 

 proportionally than the parent, and provided with six legs, 

 the first pair being very large, shaped like lobster-claws, and 

 armed beneath with strong spines. Little prominences take 

 the place of wings, and under the breast is a long beak for 

 suction. Its movements, after leaving the egg, are very 

 lively, and nearly as quick as some of the ants. But after 

 a few moments their instincts prompt them to reach the 

 ground. They do not attain this end by descending the 

 body of the tree, nor by casting themselves off precipitately, 

 but, running to the side of the limb, deliberately loosen their 

 hold and drop to the ground, making the perilous descent 

 with the utmost safety. This seems almost incredible, but 

 it has been repeatedly observed by scores of honest witnesses. 



NEW-BORN CICADA. 

 Line Below Shows Natural Size. 



On reaching the ground the young insects immediately 

 burrow their way into the soil, using their broad and strong 

 fore-feet pretty much after the fashion of the mole. They 

 apparently follow, in their descent, the roots of plants, fasten- 

 ing their beaks into the most tender and succulent, and thus 

 imbibing their juices, which constitute their sole aliment. 

 They do not descend very deeply into the ground, probably 

 not more than ten or twelve inches, although accounts have 

 been published of their discovery at a depth of ten or twelve 

 feet, but their occurrence at such great distances from the top 

 of the ground is doubtless the result of accident. 



The only alteration to which the insects are subject during 

 the seventeen years of their subterranean confinement, is an 



