NATURE’S CHORISTERS 
217 
that Katy did,—and it must have been something 
awful, judging from the clatter that has sounded 
down the years,—her own sex, at least, do not 
deride her. The charge comes from the male 
members of the clan, who voice their convictions 
by rasping their wings over an odd rounded 
membrane which is fitted with file-like teeth. The 
effect is harsh and strident and carries on the still 
night air so as often to be heard more than a 
quarter of a mile away. Occasionally some par¬ 
ticularly vehement performer will proclaim 
loudly, ‘ Katy she did! ’ Then all the other katy¬ 
dids in the vicinity, refusing to be outdone by 
such triumphant exhibition, immediately sound 
the accusation in like measure 4 Katy-sAe-did! 
Ivaty-sfttf-did! ’ The confused medley is laugh¬ 
able, if nothing more. Some folks think that 
they are calling, 4 Katy didn't,' It does, in fact, 
sound like a constant squabble to me, as to 
whether Katy ‘ did ’ or ‘ didn’t.’ 
“ There is a good deal of disagreement about 
the musical character of the katydid’s perform¬ 
ance,” laughed Uncle John. “ He is an instru¬ 
mentalist, not a vocalist, you understand, and his 
4 music,’ despite its questionable wording, is very 
probably a love song. Some writers recognize a 
quaint melody in his notes, others say his song 
is grating and disagreeable. Scudder proclaims 
that the poets who have sung the katydid’s praises 
