Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-23

OF the process of this wonderful trans
formation. The oviposlting organ Of the
female is provided with a little saw-liks
apparatus. with which she first punctures
q groove In the twig OF the plant or tree
upon which she settles, and then lays the
eggs. These are pearl-white. about three
sixteenths Of an inch long and tapering at
each end. When the larva Is first Matched
out, which Is in about six weeks from the
time OF opposition. 1t Is covered by q men,
brane called the amnion. This breaks. and
the larva deliberately drops to the ground.
crawls quickly out Of sight and begins to
dig Its way into the earth. sometimes to the
distance Of several feet. While in the
ground 1t feeds on vegetable juices.
Nv hen the time draws near for the Is
suance Of the pupa 1t gradually rises nearer
to the surface. When 1t appears it may
become the prey of almost any Of the birds
or cannibal insects which are its natural
enemies. and instinctively, 1t seeks the
protection Of some near object. To witness
these pupae, in such vast numbers that one
cannot step on the ground without crush
ing several. swarming out Of their holes
and scrambling over the ground, all within
certain radius converging to a central
point, and then In a steady stream clam
bering up the tree trunk and diverging
again upon Its branches, is an experience
not readily forgotten, and ahordng good
food for speculation on the nature Of In
stinct.
AS soon as the sun goes down the pu-
pae begin to rise. and continue until about
skin splits down the middle and the FORM
ing cicada issues. The cicada at this stage
Is creamy white almost all over, and has
red eyes. From twenty minutes to an hour
Is the usual time required for the full
transformation to a winged insect Then
the body begins to grow hard, and the col
ors appear.
THE male cicada is a singer who puts to
blush many of his insect brethren. His voice
has peculiar mournful vibrant quality.
He gives forth three distinct cries, and
made by the muscles In The lower part of
the body working on the drums under the
wings by alternately tightening and loosen
Ing them. The prevailing note In the height
of the season is made in unison by a num-
Der of males, and may be likened to a dis
tant frog pond or the sound made by log
In saw mill when being cut by circular
saw.
Then there is what is called the 'phar-r-
r-r-aoh' note, something like a rapid train
passing under a short tunnel; also an inter
mittent chirping sound which reminds one
OF that ordinarily produced by the barn
swallow"
Professor. there is a popular impression
that these insects sting when molested."
Yes, but there have never been any we'll
authenticated cases reported. The idea has
probably arisen from the fact that the beak
by which all cicada take nourishment is
sharp-pointed and is quick in action. There
Is no poison gland. However. II a person
we're pricked by the beak there might be
unpleasant though hardly serious, conse
Quences."
How about the marks of the letters W
on the wings? Do they mean anything?"
The professor smiled indulgently. They
may mean warm weather. / guess you
would not be far wrong on that interpreta-
ton"