The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-02-01
SINGING INSECTS.
Tiny Pets That Make Music in Japan
ese Homes

Tiny Pets That Make Music in Japan
ese Homes.
Singing birds are priced in all coun-
tries, but it is only in Japan that the
notes of insects have been appreciated
and the insects named according to
their different voices. The love Of listen
ing to these singing insects has for CEN
turtles been an imprisoned pastime III
Japan and has created at last an unique
trade and market, In Toxic toward the
end of May little cages of exquisltely
cut bamboo may be seen hung up in the
verandas Of houses, and in the cool OF
the. dawn and at the close of summer
days strange little whistles and tlnk-
lings and trlls proceed from these
cages and hake the air resound with the
music Usually it is in the evening al
ter their baths that the people go and
sit in their verandas to listen to the
singing insects, which they have impri-
6oned there 1t was late on afternoon
toward the end Of May, and was NOV
| ing from room to room in the quiet
Buddhist temple which is my home.
The hush that comes at the fall OF tWi-
light twas on the all the world, when
my attention was suddenly arrested by
a silvery trill, which filled at Intervals
the whole place. 1t was delicate ana
clear, like an etherealized birds song,
and vet of much smaller volume than a
birds note. I called the priests daugh-
ter, and asked her what it was heard
singing. "That Is 'Suzu-mushf sing
ing" she replied; come and I will
show you where it is" She led me to
the back of the temple and pointed to
the caves of a cottage opposite. Look
ing across, l saw tiny reed cage hang
ing up, and in one corner small black
insect, hardly observable in the dim
light. THAT is the insect you heard
singing" said the priests daughter. 1t
is called a Suzu-mushi,' and it's voice
is beautiful and cool.
In three days the next en-nichl or
Mita came round-May "a; and Riyo,
the priests daughter, accompanied by
servant and myself, wended our way
with lantern to the night fair at Mita.
The whole neighborhood seemed to have
turned out to visit the fair, and the
cheerful clatter of clogs appeared to
made up for their want of light. In the
distance the dull glow of hundreds Of
primitive oil lamps put in front Of the
stalls set their smoky mark on the
place where the fair was held. We pass
ed innumerable stalls, which I shall not
attempt to describe here, as well as
strange portable gardens of plants, trees
and flowers and goldfish nurseries. At
last we came to stall from which pro-
ceeded a shrill babel of insect sounds.
Needless to says it was impossible to
distinguish one insects cry from an
other, for they all seemed to be chirp-
ing and whistling and trilling, one
against the other in a frantic and be- /
way, so that I wondered how 4
the "Mushiya" could cit so calmly be-
meath his stall waiting for customers.
There We're so many eager purchasers
round the little stall that | +
gave up the idea of buying the insect
| wanted that evening. The insect fan
,ier gave me his address, and next
morning l made my way through many
back streets to his dwelling. 1t was the
never be forgotten chorus of insects
that guided me at last down a little
back lane to the spot at the end of
low Of one roomed cots. The cupboards
'ull of insects. all shut up in their
ages, were there, and the old man,
opening one of the DOORS soon found me
"Suzu mush' for four sen, and a
pretty cage for 1t In the shape of fan
or Is sen, or threepence in English
money. He told me that 7 must not
lang the insect up in the draught, but
n some cool, quiet corner, and that ]
1t must be fed on fresh GU
lumber every morning. I promised to
ollow his Instructions carefully, and
arrying home my insect, hung him up
n corner of my room and waited for
he serenade. But for two days the !
Suzu-mushi' was quite silent. In vain
put slice after slice after cucumber. {
n vain I whisted and trilled myself at
he bars of his tiny cage. He remained I
nute In despair, I called for the t
rieste wife. What is the matter with '
his insect?" 1t won't sing to mel" she
card me complain. BE patient" she /
1.-THE 'Suzu-mushi' is in a c
ew cage, and will not sing till it is ac- y
ustomed to- It's new surroundings. 1t @
sels full of fear and cannot sing Wait h
littlep So | waited, and the next C
vening, when the cage was hung up, ii
he little creature began to sing merrily, ;
mixing away like tiny bell, as it's s
anne imples.-Wide World Magazine. c