LANTERN-FLY THE XANANA. 557 



with thick webs. As the weight of one of these dwellings 

 would be greater than the caterpillar inside could sustain, it 

 attaches the case by one or more threads to the leaves or 

 twigs near which it is feeding. 



LANTERN-FLY. 



There is a large and beautiful insect, with an enormous 

 transparent prolongation of the forehead, which is supposed 

 to have a resemblance to a lantern : it is called the lantern- 

 fly (Fulgora laternaria). Though often described as possessing 

 luminous properties, it is now known to be destitute of any 

 phosphorescence whatever. 



THE TAN AN A.* 



Often through the woods a loud, sharp, resonant stridulation 

 is heard, sounding like the syllables " Ta, na, na," succeeding 

 each other with little intermission. It is produced by a 

 species of wood cricket, called by the natives after the sound 

 it produces. The total length of the body is two inches and 

 a quarter when the wings are closed. The insect has an in- 

 Hated bladder-like shape, owing to the great convexity of the 

 thin, firm, parchmenty wing-cases ; the little creature being 

 of ;i pale green colour. The instrument by which it pro- 

 duces its music is contrived out of the ordinary nervures of 

 tho wing-case. In each wing-case the under edge of the 

 wing itself has a horny lobe. On one wing this lobe has a 

 sharp raised margin, on the other the strong membrane which 

 traverses it on the under side is crossed by a number of fine 

 and sharp furrows like those of a file. When the insect 

 rapidly moves its wings, the file of the one lobe is scraped 



* Chlorocelus tanana. 



