1 894-] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. I45 



The Periodical Cicada. — Before the end of the month for which this num- 

 ber is issued the voice of the Cicada will be heard in the land. The brood 

 is a large one, quite widely distributed, and will be one of considerable 

 importance to the agriculturist, unless all previous experiences are over- 

 tured. It will give another opportunity for close observation concerning 

 the actual distribution of the species within State lines, and as there are 

 perhaps more working entomologists at the present time than ever before, 

 our knowledge of the actual distribution of the species should be better 

 defined than ever before. Warnings have been given to fruit-growers that 

 it would be unadvisable to set out young trees during the present Spring 

 in those localities where the insects are known to have occurred. A feature 

 that it will be worth while to observe rather closely during the present 

 year, is the influence of Sparrow, that is, of course, the English Sparrow, 

 upon the number of these insects. A few years ago when the Cicada ap- 

 peared in Washington, D. C, and was so elaborately and completely 

 studied by Dr. Riley and his force, the Sparrows destroyed a very large 

 proportion of the specimens. About the same time a brood appeared 

 upon Long Island, extending for a distance of about five miles through a 

 territory that was rather closely examined by myself, embracing Prospect 

 Park and the Ocean Parkway toward Coney Island, along the whole of 

 which distance the English Sparrow has taken undisputed possession to- 

 the almost entire extermination of a considerable number of our native 

 birds. At that time I found that the Sparrows had also practically exter- 

 minated the Cicada, because an entire day's search gave me just one 

 punctured branch, showing eggs deposited. It is, of course, that I do not 

 mean to suggest that that was the only one that escaped; but it is rather 

 remarkable that where the insects were present in such numbers that ovi- 

 position should have been so restricted as to make the finding of punc- 

 tured twigs so difficult a matter. The Sparrows are still becoming more 

 and more numerous each year, and their influence upon the future reoc- 

 currence of this particular brood will be more than ever important. I 

 would suggest that every collector and every entomologist make special 

 observations in the direction of the relation of English Sparrow and the 

 Cicada. On the first appearance of the insects note whether there is a 

 special congregation of the birds in the places where they are most abun- 

 dant. Observe the length of the period during which the insects remain, 

 and whether there is an abrupt cessation within a space of ten days or 

 two weeks. Finally, the region covered by them, or that in which they 

 were most abundant, should be rather closely searched over for egg punc- 

 tures, and in this way a basis of observed facts will be gathered that will 

 enable us to see whether the next appearance of these insects will be irt 

 anything like the numbers of the present expected invasion. 



So light is the spider's web that a pound weight of it will reach around 

 the world, and leave enough to reach from Liverpool to New York. — New 

 York World. 



