WINTER MEETING. 237 



In 1877, when the western and southwestern states suffered so 

 seveily from the incursions of the Rocky Mountain grasshopper, Prof. 

 Riley made quite extensive and varied experiments with them to ascer- 

 tain their food value, and while no one who was regaled on his "locust 

 feast" would choose the latter instead of the ordinary viands of a 

 civilized table, still he demonstrated the fact that small and shelly as 

 these grasshoppers are, they could be so prepared as to save human 

 beings from starvation, while many of the lower animals, as is well 

 known, fatten upon them with amazing rapidity. 



Among the delicacies of the Greek table in ancient times were 

 various preparations of cicadoa — insects of the same family and very 

 similar to our so-called " 17-year locust." These dishes are referred to 

 by many classic writers in terms of the highest praise. In the same 

 spirit of enterprise which induced him to test the value of the grass- 

 hopper, and to discover what ground the Greeks had for their appre- 

 ciation, Prof. Riley instituted gastronomic experiments with this insect 

 also, selecting for his bisques and fries the plump, cream-white larvae, 

 or the soft-shelled pupae, just as they emerged from the soil, and under 

 the manipulations of a skilled cook, several excellent dishes were 

 served, which were apparantly much enjoyed by those invited to par- 

 take. But as this insect appears only at such long intervals and is not 

 seriously destructive to vegetation, we cannot expect it ever to become 

 a staple article of food. 



It is chiefly in Africa and South America that insect eating is with 

 certain tribes a constant practice. The specie^ thus utilized are mainly 

 white ants fTermesJ, and a considerable variety of tree-boring grubs. 

 Some of the latter, which are found in the terminal buds of the cocoa- 

 nut palm, are said be peculiarly fine flavored and nutritious. 



The white ants of certain districts of Africa are described as build- 

 ing regular cities, with compact clay towers rising to a height of from 

 25 to 30 feet. In these are often found stored a considerable quantity 

 of the wild grains of the locality. The discovery of such a termite city 

 is always hailed with joy by the savages, who stupefy the inmates with 

 smoke and afterwards eat them, together with the grain which they 

 had collected. The Indians of the southwest coast are often saved 

 from starvation by the ability to eat certain insects, and one or two 

 species of the latter are regarded as choice delicacies. 



The insects enumerated will sufQce to show that man has found 

 even in this lowly and individually ipsignificant class of beings some 

 that contribute to his material wealth and enjoyment. But we have 

 many insect friends that do us good service in a thousand ways of 

 which we are not aware. Many are scavengers and devour or bury 



