The Ciickoo-Spit and its Frog- Hopper 299 



idea of death, and human beings departed, is added, in this case, that 

 of an unknown antiquity, that of the wonderful lengths of time which 

 they have lain unseen and silent under the footsteps of many long 

 generations in succession. The mind is absorbed in musings, en- 

 quiries and wonderings who they were, what were their language, 

 religion, habits of life, personal appearance. What kind of people 

 they were that inhabited the place around at that time. There is 

 added the solemn idea, which occurs at the sight of any such 

 spectacles of more modern date, that somewhere there exists at this 

 moment a soul that once inhabited this deserted form." 



We quote the above, partly on account of its own interest 

 and partly as illustrating the author's ability as an observer 

 and the tendency of his meditative mind. Possibly some of 

 our readers can furnish further details as to the discovery. 



THE CUCKOO-SPIT AND ITS FROG-HOPPER. 



The familiar " cuckoo-spit " is the protective habitation 

 of the larva of an insect allied to the aphides and included 

 with them in the order Homopteva. The commonest British 

 species is known by the scientific name of Aphvophom spumaria. 

 It is more frequently seen in moist summers. It lives a 

 parasitic life on the leaves and stems of plants. The eggs 

 are laid in late autumn, and hatched in the following April. 

 The green larva at once attacks the plant, thrusts in its 

 proboscis and imbibes the sap ; pumping it up in great 

 quantities, and blowing it out in the form of small bubbles 

 from its tail end. These bubbles completely cover the insect, 

 which, in this condition, is popularly known as " cuckoo-spit " 

 or "frog-hopper." In a moist atmosphere the secretion is 

 so great as to double in quantity, in one hour, the weight of 

 the insect. 



At maturity the larva ceases to make bubbles and the 

 summer heat dries up the spume. The insect, then glued to 

 the twig, splits its pupal skin, and emerges in its perfect or 

 imago state. 



