THE FLEA LOCUST. 415 
thefe burft, from a reptile it becomes a winged infect ; 
thus rendered complete in all its parts, it flies to meet its 
mate, and propagate its kind *. 
Other larva are unprovided by nature with a frothy 
covering ; their bodies are not fo eafily injured ; and they 
are enabled to efcape from their purfuers by the nimble- 
nefs of their running and leaping. I he chryfalids and 
larvae that produce them differ but little from each other, 
cither in their form or habits : Both run, leap, and climb 
upon plants; the former diftinguifhed by tmall knobs 
Upon the back, the rudiments of future wings. 
When arrived at their moll perfeft form, the males of 
many kinds poffefs the faculty of tinging, by means of 
an organ fituated under the abdomen, furnifhed with 
Valves and mufcles. It is by the help of this fonorous 
inftrnment that the male amoroufly lolicils his mate ; and 
from this lively and animated fong, the country people 
prefage a fine fummer and plentiful harveftf. 
The cicadas have for their generic marks, the roflrum 
infk&ed ; the antennae fetaceous ; the four wings mem- 
branous, and the feet formed, for the molt part, lor leap- 
ing %. Their heads are generally of a triangular fhape ; 
their bodies are oblong ; and the wings faftigiated, like a 
roof. The females polfels, at t)ie extremity of the abdo- 
men, two large laminae, 'between which is inclofed a kind 
of blade, ferrated on the edges. This apparatus appears 
plainly intended for digging holes for the reception of 
the young, and for finking them in tfiofe plants upon 
which the larvae are to feed, after their exclufion from 
the eggs. 
Vol. III. 3 H Th< ? 
“ Goldfmith’s Nat. Hift. Vol. VII. p. at 8- 
t Barbut ubi fupra. } Syft. Nat. Grd. II. Gen. $, 
f 
