THE SEVENTEEN-YEAR LOCUST. 
By W. M. Kou. 
The Cicada—Sefteudecim, Linnes ; 
This is an insect which has—in Pennsylvania 
at least—obtained the general appellation of 
locust. Jt presents a life of evolution, begin- 
ning in the earth, ascending to the tree, and 
returning its life to the roots again, to await its 
allotted time to reappear. 
In the village of Jenkintown, near Philadel- 
phia, Pa., in the early part of April, 1885, while 
skimming off a few inches of dirt from a car- 
riage drive, ‘I uncovered holes honey-combed 
in the earth, half an inch in diameter and per- 
fectly symmetrical. They were mostly under 
old trees, where they had approached very 
near the surface. We uncovered the chrysalis 
about six inches below the surface, and awaited 
the proper time and condition of weather for 
them to come out. In the latter part of April 
they made their appearanee. If rainy or 
muddy weather intervenes they cement the 
mouths of their holes with mud, to keep out the 
water until favorable weather. 
They encountered many difficulties, coming 
up under stones and brick pavements, making 
their way out often through the cracks. I have 
a piece of iron plate, many times the weight ot 
a locust, iitted up and propped by mud at an 
angle to let the insect out. The majority ot 
holes were under trees or where trees had 
been. . 
Naturalists say they come out only in the 
night. For almost two weeks I watched them 
nightly, and they made their appearance an 
hour before ®undown, increasing in numbers 
until dark. Crawling by thousands through 
the grass and over the bare ground in their 
brown casing, which they are about to throw 
off, they are often covered with mud. Ascend- 
ing weeds, posts, fences and frame work in 
droves, and particularly trees, they fix them- 
selves to the bark and on the leaves. At this 
time they encounter many enemies, as chick- 
ens, hogs, squirrels and birds are very fond of 
them. Our cat was seen every evening watch- 
ing in the grass, seeming to relish them as a 
dainty. As grubs (fig. 1) they have a cylin- 
Tetteyonia septeudecim, Fabricious. 
drical proboscis; anterior cox, thick and 
strong, toothed beneath, fitted for digging; 
abdomen in eight segments; six feet, and are 
different from the larve in having the rudi- 
mentary wings. ’ 
One evening I secured seven on one branch, 

Fic. 1. 
and witnessed the operation of their new birth 
by lamp light. They were some time running 
up and down selecting a position. Once fairly 

fixed the back part of the head soon becomes 
smooth and glossy, as if stretched to its utmost 
tension. In five minutes from the time of set- 
tling in position, a longitudinal fissure, showing 
