229 
May 31, 1912. The Queensland Naturalist 
(11) 1905. Gurney (W. B.) “Catalogue ot the described 
‘Formicidge’ of Australasia.” Appendix “Domestic 
Insects- Ants” (by W. W. Froggatt.) Misc. Pub. Agr. 
N. S. Wales, Sept. 1905. Pheidole megacephala , F.) 
: — (a) Latreille, appears to have transferred the species 
from Formica to Myrmica, and F. Smith subsequently 
pointed out that Heer’s (Ecophthora was identical 
Avith Westwood’s prior- defined Pheidole [vid. Catal. 
Hym. B.M., VI., p. 173, 1858.) 
(ft) Losana, writing in 1834 on the indigenous ants 
of Piedmont (“ Memoire della Reale Accademia delle 
Scienze di Terino. T XXXVII”) has on page 328 
r described a Myrmica megacephala. A perusal of the 
German translation by Mayr suggests that it is distinct 
from the Fabrician species. A view also taken by 
Professor Heer. 
[For a fuller biography, embracing 62 titles, reference may be made to 
Dr. C. G. De Dalla Torre’s “ Catalogus Hymenopterorum,” vol. vii., p. 9, 
1896. 
NOTES OX THE SONG OF THOPHA ^<!ACCATA. 
By Edmund Jarvis. 
iNTRonrcTORY Remarks. 
The familiar cry of this fine cicada compels attention 
from even the most thoughtless, for one cannot help noticing 
a noise that at times is loud enough to interfere with 
ordinary conversation. On more than one occasion, tvhilst 
in Victoria, I have listened to Cyclochila australasice, an 
allied species, in full chorus, and would not like to have 
missed the experience, but judging from the noise made by 
a single individual of T. saccatu should imagine that the 
choral efforts of this species -would be still more impressive, 
and entirely eclipse those of any of our southern forms, 
Some of the cicadas of other countries are said to be as noisy 
as our own. Kirby and Spence^ — commenting on Captain 
Hancock’s statement that Brazilian cicadae sing so loudly 
as to be heard at the distance of a mile, remark : — “ This 
is as if a man of ordinary stature, supposing his powers of 
voice increased in the ratio of his size, could be heard all 
over the world.” Virgil is said to have accused those of 
Italy of “bursting the very shrubs with their noise ; ” 
and. Judging from the following brief excract from one of 
Ruskin’s letters, Italian cicadas are still sufficienrly assertive 
to prove a source of annoyance. He writes : — “ I think I 
should so like to be deaf, mostly, not expected to answer 
• intro; to Entom., Vol. 2, p. 403. 
