CUCKOO SPIT 363 



the notion entertained by the ancients ; whilst the 

 modern names 'froghopper' and crachat de 

 grenouilles indicate their supposed origin from 

 another tribe of animals." 



Many years later, in a notice of a tube-making 

 homopterous insect from Ceylon, presently to be 

 mentioned (7>(2:;25-. Entomol. Soc. Lond.,i?>B>6, p. 329), 

 the same distinguished entomologist thus referred 

 to the " cuckoo spit " : — 



" It is no other than the fluid excrement of the 

 larva of the insect, consisting of the juices of the 

 plant on which it subsisted, and which, being dis- 

 charged with very little alteration in its nature, drop 

 by drop from the insect, forms an accumulated 

 moistened mass, which keeps the body of the insect 

 in a moist condition until it is ready to assume the 

 perfect state." 



The precise manner in which the froth is 

 formed is thus described by an American observer. 

 Professor Morse : — 



" The larva pierces the plant with the mouth 

 parts and commences to suck the juice. While 

 this action is going on a clear watery fluid escapes 

 from certain pores in the body, and in a short time 

 the insect is completely immersed in it. As it is 

 obliged to breathe air, it secures this by turning up 

 the hinder part of the body, and by means of little 

 appendages clasps a bubble of air, which then flows 

 along the under side of the abdomen. Here it is 

 taken in through the spiracles, and, having been so 

 used, is allowed to escape in the fluid in which the 

 insect is immersed. This operation is repeated 



