THE ClCADiE, 2§i 



Oval. The wings are variegated ; and the lower 

 pair is marked each with a large ocellated or eye- 

 like spot. Sometimes the insect is seen of three or 

 four inches in length. 



THE CICADA 



THESE insects are found in various parts both of 

 the new and old continent, where they subsist almost 

 wholly on the leaves of trees and other vegetable 

 substances. They are furnished with a hard and 

 horny proboscis or tube, in which is contained a 

 very slender sucking pipe. The former is not much 

 unlike a gimlet in form, and is used by them in 

 boring through the bark of trees, for the purpose of 

 extracting their juices. With this proboscis they 

 also bore holes in the small and tender twigs of the 

 exterior branches, in which they deposit their eggs, 

 sometimes to the amount of six or seven hundred , 

 Each cell does not contain more than from twelve 

 to twenty, so that by this means they often do much 

 damage to the trees which they frequent. 



The chrysalids of these insects are not torpid, as 

 in many others, but have six legs, and differ from 

 the parent in having only the rudiments of wings. 

 They are exceedingly active, and in general run 

 and leap about upon the trees with great sprightli- 

 hess. 



The males of the perfect insects make a chirping 



U 2 



