Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-09-14
TEHS oNe OF THE EATYD1D.
An UzIaailEE HrsFursor oiE zsstIns ~
England.

'Ths meteorological eccezSYisities ais
Season." es;a e well-kneT8 grizzlsS
weather observer, Of Norwich, Conn, Sc
a New York Times correspondent, shave
completely noaplus5ed and stultife1 1s.
1t is rot necessary 30 say what they have
been, for everybody has observed them.
Even the believers in weather saws have
seen their pet sayings confuted. For in
stance, there is no mere trustworthy OF
generally accepted weather sign than the
old country saying that the first fall Of
snow will occur exactly six weeks after
the first katydid is heard. Sometimes its
note is first sounded late in July and
oftener not until the first or second week
in August, but whether il 10 in July or
August, the old saw, 1 have observed, is
almost invariably verified. Sometimes
the first will fall two or three days earlier
and sometimes two or three days later,
but always near enough the predicted
time to make the omen a wonderful and
reliable one.
ssThis year the first katydids in this part
Of the country were heard on the night of
Aug. IA, and less than two weeks later, in
the last week of the same month, there
were two heavy trosts that did much
damage throughout New England. Some
ance of the fall cricket, and not of the
katydid, that is the precursor of frost six
weeks later; but there is no more salts
faction in taking that view this season as
the first fall cricket appeared a week
earlier than the katydid, on the evening
of Aug. ~
The katydid is one of the most curious
and interesting insects in the entomology
ic al kingdom. In its habits 1t is exceed
ingly clannish, and its prediction for
certain localities, and apparent distaste
for others that seem to be equally eligi-
BILE and inviting, are inexplicable. Year
after year it appears in uncounted num-
bers among the trees in the locality 1t at
fects, while quarter of mile away, IN
place equally empowered, not note IS
ever heard, except perhaps, of an insect
that has strayed away from the crowd,
and is gradually winging its way back.
In Hartford, and in all the cities OF New
England whose streets are bordered by
trees, there are certain avenues that re-
sound half the night with the harsh, clack-
ing concerts of innumerable katydids,
while on the next thoroughfare, though
it offers every inducement in the way Of
foliage, not a katydid is heard. In this
city dark, tree-shadowed Broadway is so
infested for two months by the insects
that passing strangers 2 Sc In aStonish.
ment, mystifed by the uproRrious clatter.
So loud and clamOrous was the katydid
concert in the trees about the walls OF
Park Church, at the upper end Of Broad
way, one Sunday evening two summers
age, that the efdoiating clergyman was
compelled to dismiss the congregation,
as he was unable to make himself heard
above the din. On other outrageous
streets in this city, some Of them running
parallel with and not two blocks away
from Broadway, a kRtydidi rarely heard.
The same popularity Of the insectsl
noticeable also in the woods, there being
certain quarters that they frequent in
armies and others that they persistently
avoid. Thief all cricket, which in appear.
| ance seems to be q distant relative of the
katyGid, is evidently not strongly marked
| by the bump of locality, evincing no
fastidiOu sness in the choice of singing
box. 1t takes it's place in tall tuft of
| grass, or on the highest bough of an elm
| with equal indifference. 1t is solitary
insect, avoiding crowds, and singing
| exclusively for the entertainment and
sOlace Of its equally lonely and melan-
! choly mate. Its note is sad and mourn
| full, seemingly droning negationt he
| debate, sis life worth liVlngV
The katydid is q native Of this conti-
1 nent. 1t is a sort of night grasshopper,
! hough OF a purer, paler green, more slen-
| der of body, aud more ethereal liz its gen.
| eral expression. It's organ OF SOUND Is
transparent elastic membrane, in strong,
| oval fra1aei each of he wing covers.
These mem brAnes, nv the overlapping Of
the wing ccysrs, can be made to rub
| against one another. and the sound is pro
1 duced by the friction. The concert begins
at evening twilight, becomes most clam
orous about 8 or 10 o'clock, and ends at
midnight. Occasionally solitary drOwsy
! clack may be heard an hour or two later.
The katydid does not sing constantly; the
hottest GLOW each other in rapid success
sion for q few moments, after which Ihers
! is a pause of two or three minutes.