LOCUST. 
139 
'this idea, the testimony of Hasselquist, who thus 
expresses himseif on this very subject. “ They 
\vho deny insects to have been the food of this 
lioly man, urge, that this insect is an unaccustom- 
ary and unnatural food ; but they would soon be 
convinced of the contrary, if they would travel 
hither, to Egypt, Arabia, or Syria, and take ’a 
meal with the Arabs, Roasted locusts are at this 
time eaten by the Arabs, at the proper season, 
when they can procure them ; so that in all pro- 
bability this dish has been used in the time 
of St. John. Ancient customs are not here 
subject to many changes, and the victuals of St. 
John are not believed unnatural here; and I was 
assured by a judicious Greek priest, that their 
Church had never taken the word in any other 
sense; and he even laughed at the idea of its 
being a bird or a plant. ” 
Hassdquisfs Travels, Engl. Transl.p. 4 IQ. 
The Gryllus cristatus above-mentioned is a 
highly beautiful animal; being of a bright red, 
with the body annulated with black; and the legs 
varied with yellow: the upper wings tesselated 
with alternate variegations of dark and pale green; 
the lower with transverse, undulated streaks; the 
length of the animal from head to tail is about 
four inches, and the expanse of wings from tip to 
tip, when fully extended, hardly less than seven 
inches and a half. It is exquisitely figured in the 
works of Roesel. 
Greatly allied to the preceding is the Gryllus 
Duo’y figured in the elegant work of Mr. Drury. 
