MUSICIANS 257 



summons from the males." Fabre ridicules this 

 notion. He says where males and females feed 

 together on the same twigs there is no need for 

 shrill calls to inform the latter where she will find 

 the former. This is how he puts it, after describing 

 the common Cigale of Provence ranged in rows on 

 the branches of the trees, the two sexes mingled 

 and only a few inches apart. " One does not spend 

 months in calling a person who is at one's elbow. 

 Moreover, I have never seen a female rush into the 

 midst of even the most deafening orchestra. Sight 

 is a sufficient prelude to marriage, for their sight is 

 excellent. There is no need for the lover to make 

 an everlasting declaration, for his mistress is his 

 next-door neighbour. Is the song a means of 

 charming, of touching the hard of heart ? I 

 doubt it. I observe no sign of satisfaction in the 

 females ; I have never seen them tremble or sway 

 upon their feet, though their lovers have clashed 

 their cymbals with the most deafening vigour." 



Darwin says that when the Beagle was anchored 

 at the distance of a quarter of a mile from the shores 

 of Brazil, '* the noise thus made could be plainly 

 heard on board," and Captain Hancock stated that 

 it could be heard at the distance of a mile. It will 

 be noted that Darwin does not allude to it as a 

 musical sound, but a noise, and this is perhaps 

 justified by a remark of Bates, who was probably 

 referring to the same species, for he was in the 

 same region. 



Describing the " terrible discord " of mingled 

 17 



