Marvels of the Universe 



335 



rimto ill.] 



[r. II. rahre. 



complicated series of chambers, stretched 

 membranes and mirrors, all concealed by 

 a flap found on the underside of the body, 

 on either side, behind the base of the last 

 pair of legs. As these are found in the 

 male sex only, it is to be presumed that 

 their purpose is more or less sexual ; but 

 whether it is to attract the female to the 

 performer, or whether it is a case of rivalry, 

 each male tr}"ing to outdo his brothers, is 

 uncertain. Since no auditory organs have 

 been detected in either sex, \vith the 

 possible exception of a membrane that 

 has been supposed to be auditor}' in 

 function within the vocal apparatus itself, 

 it may be that if the vibrations set up 

 are sufficiently intense they may be per- 

 ceived merely in a general sense b}' their 

 intended recipient. 



The Cicada belongs to an order of in- 

 sects known to scientists as " bugs," an 

 order of which the creature to which this 

 appellation is popularly assigned is a some- 

 what degenerate member. Though the 

 perfect insect Uves in trees and bushes, its 

 earh' stages are passed underground. The 

 female deposits her eggs within the stems of 

 plants. With her strong saw-like ovipositor 

 she pierces the stem and drives it in parallel with the fibres of the plant, forcing them asunder, and in 

 the cavit}- so made lays about a dozen eggs. Then, climbing a short distance further up the stem, 

 she makes another slit, fills that with eggs, and so on until she has made in all thirty or forty 

 such chambers, either in one long stem or in several. This operation takes place about the middle 

 of July. On a hot, sunny day in October the eggs hatch. The young grubs are white spindle- 

 shaped bodies, with the first pair of legs enclosed in a conmion sheath and slightly movable, forming 

 a lever by means of which they work their way to the mouth of the chamber ; all their other 

 limbs are fastened down to the side of the body, and thus safeguarded from any injury they might 

 receive in the passage to the exterior. Having proceeded so far, they hang for a while by their 

 tails in the sunshine ; soon the skin splits and the normal grub wriggles forth and falls to the 

 ground. Here it wanders about for a time, looking for a suitable place, and then burrows into the 

 soil. It is not content with merelv burving itself, nor does it concern itself with looking for food, 

 but it burrows to a considerable depth, probably three or four feet or more ; having reached the 

 required depth, it seems to remain quiet without taking anv nourishment until the following spring. 

 In this respect however, as indeed in others, what may be true of one species is not true of another ; 

 for though in its general outlines the scheme of their life-history is the same throughout the group, 

 in details of habits there may be considerable variety according to the species. 



The Cicada gnib is now a soft, white little creature, with powerful legs, short and broad, well 

 adapted for burrowing in the earth. Instead of the biting jaws that are usual amongst insects, 

 the Cicada, in the early state as in the perfect state, has its mouth-parts modified, like the rest of 

 the " bugs," to form a long, sharply-pointed, tubular proboscis, with which it stabs the stem of some 



CICADAS HUSTLED. 



The Cicadas having pierced the shrub to obtain the sap. ants, 

 beetles and other insects parched with thirst hustle them away in 

 order that they may benefit by the Cicadas' industry. 



