The Cicada: the Eggs 



of the district were I to try and catalogue 

 the different supports used by the Cicada 

 when laying her eggs. I shall content myself 

 with naming a few of them in a note, to show 

 the variety of sites of which she avails her- 

 self. 1 



The sprig occupied is never lying on the 

 ground; it is in a position more or less akin 

 to the perpendicular, most often in its na- 

 tural place, sometimes detached, but in that 

 case sticking upright by accident. Prefer- 

 ence is given to a good long stretch of 

 smooth, even stalk, capable of accommo- 

 dating the entire laying. My best harvests 

 are made on the sprigs of Spartium junceum, 

 which are like straws crammed with pith, 

 and especially on the tall stalks of 

 Asphodelus cerasiferus, which rise for 

 nearly three feet before spreading into 

 branches. 



The rule is for the support, no matter 

 what it is, to be dead and quite dry. Never- 

 theless my notes record a few instances of 



1 1 have gathered the Cicada's eggs on Spartium 

 junceum, or Spanish broom; on asphodel (Asphodelus 

 cerasiferus) ; on Toad-flax (Linaria strlata) ; on Cala- 

 mintha nepeta, or lesser calamint; on Hirschfeldia 

 adpressa; on Chondrilla juncea, or common gum-succory; 

 on garlic (A Ilium polyanthum) ; on Asteriscus spinosus 

 and other plants. Author's Note. 



83 



