New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-16
JUNE BUGS AS RAIN PRODUCERS.
How They Came To Be Called Thunder Bugs
In Swiss Canton.

The big buzzing June bugs which come out in
such numbers warm summer nights at noun
tain and lakeside resorts are popular with no one.
and are especially objects of disgust TO the fair
Summer Girl Not that the June bugs do any IN
territorial harm. They simply stupid. blunder-
ing bugs which fly about aimlessly, and after few
short weeks OF summer existence seem to disap-
pear as mysteTiOusly as they come But they pos
sess such dire possibilities in the way of flying in
the Summer Girls face or becoming entanged In
her hair that they voted with much emphasis
''horrid things" In some parts of the world. how
ever, especially in the smaller villages of SwitZer-
land. the June bug was once held in high esteem
1t was known as the thunder bug" and was
highly regarded by the ignorant peasants on ac-
count of it's supposed ability to bring rain
The legend to the cause which led 10 this
belief in the June bugs wondrous powers is a
curious one. At one time a small Swiss village
was suffering from droUth which threatened
total destruction of the seasons crops. Prayers
had been said the village church. other rain
making plans had been tried, but to no avail The
peasants were in despair.
At this crisis a travelling man. who was evil
IDENTIFY a good deal of a practical joker, arrived
in the village When he heard of the trouble OF
the peasants he gravely told them that there was
an easy way of the difficulty All that was
necessary was to go to the city OF Basic and pur-
chase some thunder. The rain would follow in
due time.
So a DELEGATION of the simple villagers visited
Basic, and entering the largest store in the city
asked for some thunder At first the clerk was
amazed Then entering into the spirit of the thing.
he promised he would get them the desired thunder
Stepping out of the store into a back yard he
caught a number OF June bugs. These he i'm
prisoned in box. which he handed to the vii
layers The June bugs. indignant at their i'm
prisonment. of course kept up buzzng and rum
bling in the box which sounded like the faint. far
of mutterings of thunder. -
s'There is Your thunder In that box. said the
clerk But you must be careful not to open II until
you reach your village ,. -,- 49,
The delegation departed rejoicing carrying their
thunder box with them Ihey restrained tnelL
curiosity until the confines OF the village were
reached But the mysterious box was OFTEN passed
from hand to hand and held at the ears or tne
members OF the delegation. and eacn wondered az
the faint rolling sound when seemed 10 coIls liOl
within So intent they on the mysterious
nov that they did not notice how the 0iack ram
clouds were piing up back OF them 60, -
At the limits OF the village their curiosity Was
too erast to he restrained The box was opened
Ont AeV- the thunder bugs" to the dismay OF the
peasants But in their night they look a course
In the village the delegation, rather shamefaced-
1eared The vexation OF the villagers. however,
was partly assuaged by the assurance tnaL tHs
thunder producers had flown directly over tne VI
Iage 1t vanished entirely when a rev minutes
later there came a loud clap OF thunder soon ths
rain was pouring down in torrents The crops were
saved and Of course. In such crcuIls tdnceS' tns
most sceptical peasants Fere rorce0 20 aoit t9dL
the saving rain was produced oJ ths 1huHuei
For many wears after this occurrence June bugs
were held in high esteem IN that canton OF SHl4-
arIaud The superstition that they can prOuQce
thunder has practc lily vanished DuI even " ms
friendly eye and 1t is deemed the worst OF BAD
luck TO kill OF them