NATURAL HISTOBY. 201 



" chanteuses," which are a species of Cidaria, com- 

 prise the Cicadcs masinifercB. 



The cicadas are found upon trees or shrubs, of 

 which they suck the sap. The female pierces the 

 small twigs of dead branches of trees as far as the pith 

 with her ovipositor — which is lodged in a semitubular 

 sheathj formed of two valves, and composed of three 

 scaly pieces of a narrow and elongated form, two of 

 which are terminated like a file — in order to deposit 

 her eggs therein ; the number of which being great, 

 the female makes a succession of slits, the place of 

 which is indicated by so many elevations on the 

 exterior. The young larvae quit their birthplace, 

 however, in order to descend into the ground, where 

 they increase in size and become pupae. Their fore- 

 legs are short, the fore-thighs being very strong and 

 armed with teeth, fitted for burrowing in the earth. 

 The Greeks devoured the pupae — which they called 

 tettigometrcB — as well as the perfect insect. Before 

 coupling the males were preferred, but afterwards the 

 females were selected, being filled with eggs. The 

 male insect is the musician. The organs of sound 

 are placed at each side of the base of the abdomen, 

 internal, and covered by a cartilaginous plate, like a 

 shutter, which is an appendage of the under side 

 of the metathorax. The cavity which encloses these 



