402 NOISES OF INSECTS. 
beagles at a distance; and so lively and chirping the 
noise is, as nothing can be more delightful to the ears, 
if there were not too much of it; for the music hath no 
intermission till morning, and then all is husht?.” 
The species of the other genus, Tettigonza, F., called 
by the ancient Greeks—-by whom they were often kept 
in cages for the sake of their song—Tettir, seem to 
have been the favourites of every Grecian bard from 
Homer and Hesiod to Anacreon and Theocritus. Sup- 
posed to be perfectly harmless, and to live only upon 
the dew, they were. addressed by the most endearing 
epithets, and were regarded as all but divine. One 
bard entreats the shepherds to spare the innoxious 
Tettix, that nightingale of the Nymphs, and to make 
those mischievous birds the thrush and blackbird their 
prey. Sweet prophet of the summer, says Anacreon, 
addressing this insect, the Muses love thee, Phoebus 
himself loves thee, and has given thee a shrill song; old 
age does not wear thee; thou art wise, earth-born, 
musical, impassive, without blood; thou art almost like 
a god’, So attached were the Athenians to these in- 
sects, that they were accustomed to fasten golden images 
of them in their hair, implying at the same time a boast 
that they themselves, as well as the Cicadae, were Terre 
Jjilu. ‘They were regarded indeed by all as the happiest 
as well as the most innocent of animals—not, we will 
suppose, for the reason given by the saucy Rhodian 
Xenarchus, when he says, 
“ Happy the Cicadas’ lives, 
Since they all have voiceless wives.” 
If the Grecian Tettix or Cicada had been distinguished 
* Hist. of Barbadoes, 65. » Epigramm. Delect. 45. 234. 
