The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1863-06-18

proooscis, eoout two lines IN length,
which 10 generally eompros1ed closely
to thethorAx; this I aesn inserted in
the smooth bark Of young tresa, and
when driven from the spot, 1 drop Of
juice would issue from the puncturs,
they would, also, when disturbed,
throw out small jet Of thin watery
liquid, al If in self defence. From
their being unprovided with organs for
eating, it would seem that their whole
business during Their short visit to the
surface ofthe earth, was to propagate
their specia and to die.
While here, they served for food for
all carniverous and insect eating ami
mails. Hogs eat them in preference TO
any other food; squirrels, birds, domes.
tic fowls, &c, tattened on them.- So
much were they attracted by the
cieada, that very few birds wers seen
around our gardens during their con-
tindarce and our cherries &c, remained
unmolested. By the forth or fifth day
after their leaving the earth, the female
began to deposit her eggs in the tender
branches Of most kinds Of orchard or
forest trees. She generally selected
the wood Of last years growth, and
commenced her task on the under side
Of the twig, by Sitting the bark with
} her puncturing instrument, which en-
braced the properties both ofa saw
and punch, the point being lancet
. sharp aud serrated, and then making
q hole in an oblique direction to the
pith Of the branch, she Withdrew the
Instrument little way and deposited
an egg through tube in the punch.
This was repeated until from ten to
twenty eggs were deposited on each
r side Of the center ofthe pith, the center
!, wood having been previously comm.
S utcd and cut up, SO as to make q soft
!, bed for the eggs, and to afford food for
e the embryo until it hatched. There
}. was daily an cvidet increase in the sizs
q of the eggs, until they were hatched,
t and an evident diminution of the
i cominuted woody fbres and enlarge
ment Of the cells containing the eggs,
(, 50 that they must have derived some
: subsistence from the juices ofthe twig.
II Another proof that they did so, was,
that the eggs invariably perished in
d those branches which withered and
+ dried up soon after the punctures were
lr made. The work continued from day
y to day, until the female had expended
IS her stock Of eggs, which so far as l
h could ascertain amounted to about one
e. thousand When the operation was
lie completed, the object Of her existence
Of seemed to be fulfilled, and in, few
m days she dWindled away and died
n The whole period Of the life Of a
u single individual, from her leaving the
r earth to her death, averaged from
ID twenty to twenty-five days. The life
rs Of the male continued for nearly the
y same time. When the cicada first
a, leave the earth, they are plump and
CO full of oily juices, SO much SO that tthey
ar were made use of in the manufacture
9 Of soap, but before their death they
d. were dried up to mere shells; and |
ed have seen them till able to fly few
OF feet. after one half Of the body was
IS wasted away, and nothing remained
n but the head, wings, and thorax.
From the time the eggs were deposited
as to the period ofhatching, was, as nearly
.ir as could be ascertained, six days, and
o. almost daily attention was given to the
ey subject When first placed in the
ne twiggs the eggs are about the sixteenth
IT, Of All inch in length and the thickness
in Of a coarse hair, appearing through a
tn small magnifying glass of the shape
tn, and size 0F a grain Of rye. At the
nd period of Matching, they had increased
nc about one third in size. -ae
.Iy They ase White and transparent
n with black spot OH the larger end
IL just before Matching.
I'M They GRE placed very closely By the
ise side Of each other, in an oblique direc
Inn ton to the line of the twig Severa
ull pounds of the branch Of an apple, tree
is full of eggs ready to hatch, were PLACED
Ter in bowl of earth, with glass tum
as bier inverted over them, in the after
les noon. By morning nearly a hundret
lly young cicada We're found in the earth
ith and few on the surface, who had jus
ere left their woody cells. They wer
nat about twelfth of an inch n length
cir with the exact shape, color, and ap
rth pearancc of the parent when she hrs
lies comes to the air, and before burstin
Ter. the transparent she'll which coyere'
ted her while in her terrene abode. Fror
md the fact that the young ones immediate
me " seek retreat in the earth, | ar
lad led to believe that these ensects ar
in tenants of the ground for seventies
not years, and until He who created theI
ath again calls them forth to propagat
or their kind to fulfill their destiny an
or die. As to their extent, SO far as | CO
the ascertain, they covered the wood
it regions from beyond the shores Of u
ack Mississippi, to the heads of the Obi
8 as river, EN- bracing the state of Missouri
My Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and the Wester
and part of Pennsylvania. rlt
hey .,----.-.-.--------,7- =.
ain. pSr If a young lady would sack he
the lover without hurting his feelings, Il
q as her give him the sack she has on
,a;yS ~ oluHad