138 NATURAL ARRANGEMENT OF INSECTS. 



and, both in their form and neuration, much more resem- 

 ble the typical cicadas than they do the Flatidce. Who 

 that looks upon this singular little creature, will not be 

 immediately reminded of a bull ? The truth is, that the 

 mind of man is instinctively prone to comparison ; for 

 the imagination will frequently associate together two 

 or more things, having not a single property in common, 

 yet so shaped as to suggest the same ideas. No better 

 proof of this can be mentioned, than the resemblance 

 which people very often imagine they can trace in the 

 faces of animals (particularly sheep) to those of their 

 acquaintances. Now there is as much diversity of phy- 

 siognomy in one race as in the other ; yet the analogy 

 between them is so remote,, that, although it may strike 

 the imagination with irresistible force, it would fre- 

 quently be difficult to state the reason of the similitude. 

 Now, this is precisely the case with those remote analo- 

 gies, or representations. In the present case, however, we 

 have more certain grounds to go upon. A glance at some of 

 the Brazilian types of this extraordinary family may here 

 be taken. The largest species yet discovered (Membra- 

 cis spinosa Fab.), in its general shape, exactly resembles 

 a very large thorn from the stem of a rose tree; and the 

 spine upon its thorax is so formidable, that we have had 

 our fingers severely wounded in attempting to capture 

 it. Another (Bocidium globulare) has a little fanciful 

 diadem of round balls and spines rising from the thorax; 

 and this is so spread over the insect, that every part of 

 its body is protected. In another group (Polyglypta), 

 all these spines disappear, and the thorax is lengthened 

 out in front into a snout-shaped process, as long as the 

 whole body; thus giving to them all the aspect of lan- 

 tern flies. Another genus (Darnis) might at first be 

 taken for a coleopterous insect; for it is entirely cased 

 over with a hard shell, without any external appearance 

 of wings, which lie concealed beneath, as in Scutel- 

 lera. In these cicadas, also, the head, although broad, 

 is particularly short, and is so bent down as to be almost 

 hid : the antennae are shaped like those of Cercopis; 



