CICADA. 
325 
the insect sucks the juices of the plant where it re- 
sides, and afterwards ejects them from its vent in 
the form of minute bubbles, till it has completely 
covered itself, and has thus secured a cool summer 
retreat. This operation may be readily observed 
by removing the froth from the little animal, which 
will soon emit fresh moisture and again cover it- 
self from our sight. The small sucker with which 
it extracts the moisture from the plant may be 
observed if the insect is carefully examined, and 
will generally be found lying close to the under part 
of the thorax. 
This delicate little creature remains enveloped in 
foam till it has undergone its different transforma- 
tions and become a perfect insect. After it has 
grown to its full size and passed the chrysalis state 
(which so strongly resembles that of the larva as not 
to be distinguished), the froth becomes viscid, and 
no longer invests the insect as before, but fixes it 
to the plant, where it remains till the final change 
is effected, and the perfect cicada emerges from its 
sheath. If the insect is watched during this trans- 
formation, it will be observed first to put out its 
head, and afterwards by dgrees its body : a small 
protuberance will appear on each side, which, ra- 
pidly increasing in size, will prove to be the un- 
folding wings: about a quarter of an hour com- 
pletes the operation, and the little animal pre- 
pares for flight, leaving behind it the perfect silver- 
like skin of its former body, which with all its legs 
and other parts remains sticking to the plant. 
