270 
abdomen—the whole complex musical instru- 
ment being shielded with opercula. Why 
the male cicada should be furnished with such 
an elaborate and noise-producing apparatus 
is doubtful. Are the females, im which, 
however, “no special auditory organs have 
been detected,” * attracted thereby ? 
My friend Colonel J. Randal Wilmer has 
no doubt on this matter, 
as he has had ocular 
demonstration. He says: 
“On one occasion I 
noticed a male cicada 
perched on a tree-trunk 
chirping loudly, and I 
stopped to watch him. 
Presently I heard a slight 
rustling in 
the leaves - 
overhead; 
the insect 
ceased his 
music for a 
time, but 
soon recom- 
menced to 
stridulate 
even more 
violently. 
There was 
GHANA 
MACULATA. 
another rustle, and, straight as 4n arrow, a fe- 
male flew down to him, and their marriage took 
place before my eyes. I then went into my 
house, procured a tumbler, placed it over the 
pair, and carried them captive away with me.” 
If the female has no ears, how did she 
hear the sone of the male? Did she feel 
* Dr. Sharp, in Cambridge 
HUECHYS FUSCA. 
CRYPTOTYMPANA INTERMEDIA. 
Animal Life 
certain vibrations caused by the noise? We 
do not know—and that is all about it. The 
females are silent—hence the lines of the 
“Saucy Rhodian Xenarchus ” :— 
“Happy the cicadas’ lives 
Since they all have voiceless wives.” 
(No note on the cicadide, however short, 
would seem complete without this quota- 
tion, so I am relieved 
to have worked if im 
successfully !) 
The emblem of the 
science of music was 
usually a cicada sitting 
on a harp, and I may 
end this little note by 
telling the old story 
which shows 
how a mere 
insect be- 
came thus 
honoured :— 
Once upon 
a time, when 
the World 
was Younger 
and Things 
Happened, 
because peo- 
ple Believed 
GHANA MACULATA. 
that they Did, there lved in Athens two 
Musicians named Hunomus and Ariston, who 
were Rivals. They commenced to Play. 
Suddenly a String snapped in the Harp of 
Eunomus!—and yet he was Victor, for a 
Cicada perched upon his Instrument and 
took the place of the Broken String. 
Natural History, “ Insects.” 
