THE VOICE OF MIRTH. 
29- 
am not going to be guilty myself of the fallacy that, 
because an animal makes a noise, it must be able to hear 
it. But I say this : Let the Cicada be as deaf as you will, 
yet the rhythmical vibration of its wonderful drums may 
thrill through its own body and stir its whole nature as 
effectually as the pibroch stirs a Highlander. Imagine 
an animate violin, and you can have no difficulty in 
imagining that it enjoys the music played upon it. I 
like this theory because it quite snuffs out the idea that 
the Cicada sings to please the ladies. He can please 
nobody but himself. 
But I will not lie under the imputation of wishing to 
despise the influence of the ladies. Grant me that the 
shout and then the song were at first the escape pipes 
of a gleeful spirit, and I will freely grant you that 
these and every other accomplishment will be perfected 
and paraded to win the regard of the fair one. There 
are few sights I love better than the courting of birds. 
Sweetly does the Magpie Robin sing in the small 
hours of the morning, when we are in our beds, but 
if you want to know what he can do, look at 
him and listen to him as he follows “the fair, dis- 
dainful dame ” and his rival from branch to branch 
