THE PERIODICAL CICADA 



of cicadas in both the New World and the Old, and some 

 of them are more familiar, at least by sound, than our 

 periodical cicada, because not only are the males noto- 

 riously musical, but they are to be heard every year (Fig. 

 112). The cicadas of southern Europe were highly es- 

 teemed by the ancient Greeks and Romans for their song, 

 and they were often kept in cages to furnish entertainment 



Fig. 112. One of the common annual cicadas whose loud song is 

 heard every year through the later part of the summer 



with their music. The Greeks called the cicada tettix, 

 and Aesop, who always found the weak spot in every- 

 body's character, wrote a fable about the tettix and the 

 ant, in which the tettix, or cicada, after having sung all 

 summer, asked a bite of food from the ant when the chill 

 winds of coming winter found him unprovisioned. But 

 the practical ant heartlessly replied, "Well, now you can 

 dance." This is an unjust piece of satire because the 

 moral is drawn to the disparagement of the cicada. 

 Human musicians have learned their lesson, however, and 

 sign their contracts with the box-office management in 

 advance. 



[183] 



