THE AMERICAN LOCUST. 295 



the pelotons open, and the insects come forth, crawl 

 .about the leaves, and form their wax. 



Sir George Staunton says of these insects that he 

 saw them busily employed upon the small branches 

 of a shrub that, in its general habit, had a consider- 

 able resemblance to privet. They did not much ex- 

 ceed the size of the domestic fly, and were of a very 

 singular structure. They were in every part co- 

 vered with a kind of white powder : and the 

 branches they most frequented were entirely whiten- 

 ed by this substance strewed upon them. 



THE AMERICAN LOCUST*. 



This species of Cicada is at all times very com- 

 mon in Pennsylvania, but at certain periods (gene^ 

 rally or fourteen or fifteen years) the numbers are so 

 immense that it has obtained the general appella- 

 tion of Locust. 



Towards the end of April these insects emerge 

 from the ground ; and their appearance is always 

 to be predicted by the swine searching for them. 

 The swarms are sometimes so great that, in the 

 places from whence they have arisen, the earth ap- 

 pears nearly as full of holes as a honey-comb. They 

 always leave the ground during the night. On their 

 first coming out they are in their chrysalid state ; but 

 very soon afterwards the back bursts, and the flying 

 msects disengage themselves from their case. For a 



* Synonyms. — Cicada septendecim. /,?'#«.— -Tettigonia septends- 

 cira. Fabricius. 



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