新潟•茨城•千葉各縣に於ける姫春蝉の知見

抄録

It was Late Tani (1905) who recorded scientifically Euterpnosia chibensis, one of the remarkable cicadas in Japan. She gave a new Japanese name "Himé-haruzemi", because it looked like "Haruzemi" Terpnosia vacua but somewhat smaller and more graceful. The scientific name, however, was not clear and it was described as Gn? sp?. In 1917, over ten years had passed since then, Dr. S. Matsumura announced that it was a new genus and species, Euterpnosia chibensis, appointing "Mt. Yawata in the Prov. Chiba" as the type locality. (note: "Mt. Yawata" is not right; it should be called Hachiman-yama Hill.) He distinguished Euterpnosia chibensis from other allied genera, that is, Kamalata, Terpnosia, Rustia, etc. because of the characteristic wart-like tubercule on both sides of the male's fourth abdominal segment. It may as well be regarded that there is no doubt today about the scientific name of this species.
Genus Euterpnosia is speciated into many species in Formosa today, and among all the species of the genus Euterpnosia, Euterpnosia chibensis is distributed most northerly. Euterpnosia chibensis is distributed from Ryukyu up to the Mainland, and it is of so-called the Oriental element and the limit of its coming up to north is, to some extent, similar to the one of Papilio helenus nicconicolens, Cryptotympana japonensis, etc. The areas of generation of this cicada are discontinuous in the Mainland, the period of lively singing of the imago is short and it has a queer habit of singing in chorus noisily by great number. It has also a characteristic shape and is one of the rare cicadas of Japan; There is even a folklore on this species at Kataniwa in Ibaraki Pref. as stated below.
"Once upon a time there was a rich saké-brewer living close to the Hachiman Shrine. Like other rich people, great misers were they, especially the old wife, who was so stingy that she thought nothing of giving the other some pain if it was for the sake of money. One summer evening, an old priest came and begged her a meal. But the woman, perceiving his poor clothers, said to him very rudely; "You beggar priest, don't approach. If I have any food to eat, I would rather take it myself than give it to a stranger like you. You'd better drink water only, and say your beads. Go away right now."
The priest answered, "Well, I see you will not spare me a meal though you have plenty at hand, but have used such abusive languages at me, telling me to live only on water and on beads. Then, woman, you live on water and take body of a cicada." Thus saying aloud, the priest pointed to an old big pasania which stood in the grounds of the Hachiman Shrine.
And lo! the old woman disappeared at that instant, and thousands of cicadas were found instead sitting on the old tree. Now it is said that the priest was indeed His Worship Kobo in disguise who was then staying at the Tokuzoji Temple."
I planned in summer, since 1952, to visit in order the northern and east-northern limits of this species and also other places of generation of this species in Kantô area, and could visit five of them. This is about the observation I made then. The known homes of this species in Niigata, Ibaraki and Chiba prefectures are as follows. At the place with a notemark it is appointed as a natural monument and preserved. There would be no instances in the foreign countries of cicada's being appointed as a national natural monument.