122 THE PKRTODTrAL CTCADA. 
THE HABITS OF THE LARVA AND PUPA. 
During its lung life beneath the suil, in its small moist oval cell, 
which at first is not larger than a '^ birdshot," but is gradually enlarged 
to accommodate the slowly-increasing size of the inmate, little oppor- 
timity is afforded for much variation in mode of existence and habits. 
The interesting features to be considered are the feeding and burrow- 
ing habits, which together comprise the ]:)rinci]ial activities of its sub- 
terranean existence. 
TTFE FOOD OF THE I.ARVA AXD PUPA. 
The food taken l)y this insect beneath the soil is necessarily fluid, as 
is also the case with the perfect insect, as well as with all other insects 
of the order Hemiptera. That the Cicada should obtain its nourish- 
ment in a manner different from the other members of its order woidd 
not be anticipated, but, nevertheless, a good deal of difference of 
opinion has been expressed as to the nature of the food of this insect 
in its subterranean life, as also its method of feeding. Both Professor 
Potter and Doctor Smith were of the opinion that the insect in its 
underground life obtained its nourishment from the surface moisture 
of the roots of plants through capillar}^ hairs at the tip of the pro- 
boscis — a curious misapprehension, as the hairs mentioned arise fi"om 
the sheaths, and have no connection with the true piercing and sucking 
setse. Professor Potter expresses himself on this subject as follows: 
In all places they are found attached to the tender fibrils of plants, AMien they 
are disturbed or driven from them they seek for others the moment they are at liberty. 
This is their only aliment, not the substance of the roots of the plants, which they can 
not divide and comminute without teeth or jaws to use them, but the mere aerial 
exhalation from their surface. This well-established fact would seem to account for 
the slowness of their growth, and furnishes a reason for so long a subterraneous residence. 
This absurd view of the method of nourishment of the larva and 
pupa is on a par also ^^dth the belief of the same authors, reviving the 
statement of Aristotle, that the adult insect subsists on "the devry 
exlialation of vegetable barks," which was supposed to be swept uj) hy 
a brush of hairs on the tip of the proboscis. Doctor Smith claims a 
basis for this theory of the feeding habits in personal observation, and 
it has been supposed b}" others to be supported by the well-known 
fact that the Cicada will occasionally issue from the ground that has 
been practically cleared of timl)er and under cultivation for a numl)er 
of years, and that other species are known to issue horn the prairies. 
These facts lose much of their significance when it is remembered that 
iiny vegetation, even amiual, as of farm crops, woidd supj^ly ani])le 
root growth for the Cicachi larva during the growing ])erio(l of summer, 
and in the colder months they imdoubtedly lie dormant in their earthen 
cells. 
