It is in Natal—at least, the fact has been observed there—that the cicadas, as they sing, are listened to by admiring groups of other insects. These appear to be beautiful creatures, having wings of a soft, gauzy texture, but iridescent, and shot with the colours of the rainbow. A band of these radiant attendants, consisting sometimes of a dozen or fifteen, fly to the tree where a cicada is sitting and arrange themselves in a semicircle around it, facing its head. They are “all ear” evidently, and, as the sweet sounds continue, one or other of the listeners will advance and touch the antennæ or legs of the object of its admiration. Such marks of appreciation, however, though flattering in proportion to their undoubted sincerity, are not to the taste of the cicada, who will sometimes, whilst in the midst of its song, strike out vigorously with a foot or so—for, of course, it has six—causing its too obtrusive admirers to retreat to a more respectful distance, where they continue to listen with every sign of being extremely pleased.[31] Some years ago we did not even know the name of these musical-connoisseur-like, and withal very beautiful insects, but now they have been identified by Mr. Kirby, at the British Museum, as _Nothochrysa gigantea_, so we are all much the wiser, and have a weight lifted from our minds. ----- Footnote 25: Leland O. Howard, The Insect Book. It has, however, been asserted, I know not with what truth, that Mr. Scudder was mistaken in this particular, and changed his opinion. Footnote 26: Leland O. Howard, The Insect Book. Footnote 27: The American Naturalist, April, 1898. Footnote 28: Transactions of the New Zealand Institute, vol. 5, p. 286. Footnote 29: Proceedings of the Zoological Society for 1900, pp. 837-69. Footnote 30: Transactions of the New Zealand Institute, vol. 5, p. 286. Footnote 31: Nature, vol. 44, p. 451. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CHAPTER IX A Greek mistake—Nature vindicated—Cicadas provided for—A difficult feat—Perseverance rewarded—Cicadas in story—Dear to Apollo—Men before the Muses—Plato and Socrates—Athenian views—A mausoleum for pets—The Greek ploughman—Apollo’s judgment—Hercules’ bad taste—Modern survivals—A beneficent insect—Elementary education in Tuscany.