Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1898-12-02
SONG OF THE KATYDID.
More Than the single stntc-
ment About Katy.

"The common names by which in
sects are know0," remarks a man who
knows something about orchard life,
ARE so often misleading and out of
keeping with the characteristics and
habits of the insects that the natural
isl feels sometimes like eXclalming
that all popular opinions are fallacies.
There is the katydid, for instance.
The katydid was named after his song,
presumably; but, as a matter of fact,
the song of the katydid has no more
resemblance to the sound of the words
than it has to the number of syllables
in the statement which the insect is
supposed TO iterate so determinedly.
in beginning his song for the even
ing the katydid does not say katy did
at all. He-only the males are sup
piled with the musical apparatus-be-
gins the song very low, very slow and
with a single syllable. After time he
adds another syllable and raises his
voice-propcrty speaking, he raises
his wings, because that's where the
noise comes from. Pretty soon he in
creases the volume of sound and adds
still another syllable. 1t was at this
time, with the accent on the third and
final note, that the original and super
fetal observer named the insect the
katydid. But the song does not end
here by any means. More syllables or
notes are added, the volume of sound
increasing all the time, until they
number seven or eight. Such a num-
Der is not always reached, however,
The katydids solo is love song. The
song stops when it has served its pur-
pose of attracting mate. Ono may
always tell the approach of the shy
and blushing she-katy by the agitation
in the note of the wooing male. His
orchestra stops the rhythmic and mo-
notonous sing-song. 1t breaks up into
short, nervous, staccato notes. He no
longer plays katy did or whatever
movement in the-upper scale he was
engaged upon. He stops suddenly and
begins something like this: Kate!
Oh, Kate! Katy, Katy, Katy, Eaty1'
II the slender Katherine is true to the
instincts Of her sex and for the proper
period remains coy, the gentleman will
perhaps pursue her. Perhaps, on the
other hand, he will sulk. That usually
has the effect of bringing about def
mite understanding. 1t may be that she
rejects him absolutely, and, merely to
prove that he does not care a straw,
he will reflect upon the other pebbles
and once more take up his chant.
'The people living in the country
have a great deal of faith in the katy
did as n prophet. lie begins his song
they say exactly six weelrs before the
first FROST This is another popular
opinion gone broke. The katydid is an
Irish prophet-he prophesies back
ward. His songs begins after the last
| frost.
"The song of the katydid is, properly
speaking, not song at all. 1t is an in
strumental solo. His musical appara.
tus is at the base of his wings and is as
curiously constructed as some ofthose
mysterious instruments OF Wagneri'
an orchestra about which one always
wonders what il would be like if some.
body tried toplay a solo omit. The katy
dds method seems to be cross be.
tween the method OF the bass violinist
and the man with the big drum. He
scrapes with his legs and beats with
his wings, and II he corresponded in
size with human orchestra he would
be capable of rendering life unfit tc
five In Il place Of the size OF New YORK.
state."-N. Y. Sun.