MIMICRY. 351 



at the distance of even a few yards."* This observer, however, 

 at the same time refers to the statement of Bigg Wither, that 

 this very insect is called the Whip-butterfly, owing to the sharp 

 whip-cracking sound made by its wings when battling with its 

 fellows in the air, and that this sound makes it the easy prey of a 

 forest-bird, locally known as the " Suruqua," who thus detects 

 and secures it. Here the apparent protection, by " protective 

 resemblance," is invalidated by a peculiar and unusual sound- 

 producing quality, which is as equally dangerous as its colour is 

 reported protective. A similar remark may be made as to the 

 musical CicadidcB. How often have the usual green and brown 

 colours of these insects been adduced as an example of protective 

 resemblance, and not without reason if we regard only the diffi- 

 culty of distinguishing them on the branches or leaves on which 

 they rest. But when we desire to capture them, their shrill 

 noise proclaims their retreat, and their assimilative colouration 

 avails them little. This has frequently been the experience of the 

 writer when in South Africa. f Mr. Burr writes : — " I have often 

 stalked down our large Locusta viridissima, L., and have usually 

 found it on a bed of nettles or thistles, in the middle of a corn-field, 

 or in stubble, invariably much farther away than I at first expected. 

 The sound appears to come from almost beneath one's feet, but, 

 on walking straight towards it, seems to recede into the distance, 

 until it suddenly strikes the ear, very harshly and shrilly at close 

 quarters. As soon as the would-be capturer approaches the 

 sound ceases, and the insect remains invisible. The assimilation 

 of the green colour of the insect and the green surroundings, 

 which it always chooses as a band-stand, is so close, that it is 

 almost impossible to detect the creature until it recommences to 

 chirp, when the rapid movement of the elytra betrays its where- 

 abouts."! Frank Buckland wrote similarly of the Green Tree- 

 Frogs of Germany : — " I have frequently heard one singing in a 



* C. W. Tait, 'Entomologist,' vol. xxvii. p. 52. (The author's name by 

 a misprint appears as W. C. Mit.) 



f That birds do destroy Cicadas is a fact well known. Mr. Blanford 

 found the Accipiter Nisus sphenurus, in Abyssinia, "living on Gicadce'" 

 ('Obs. Geo!, and Zool. of Abyssinia,' p. 295). Cf. also Swinton ('Insect 

 Variety,' p. 21) ; Belt (' Naturalist in Nicaragua,' p. 230) ; Hudson (Trans. 

 N. Zeal. Instit. vol. xxiii. p. 20) ; Eiley (' Science,' v. p. 521). 



I ' Zoologist,' 4th ser. vol. i. p. 516. 



