306 BARON WALCKENAER ON THE 



till the middle of May, ravage every thing ; and, after laying 

 their eggs, they diminish in numbers. M. Shaw further in- 

 forms us, that to these succeed, after an interval of several 

 days, some smaller species, whose mode of progression is 

 similar to that of the others, and that they are successively 

 replaced by one or two other kinds which leave nothing uncon- 

 sumed. 



M. CEdmann, in order more completely to prove the correct- 

 ness of the Chaldaic text, has thought it necessary to suppose 

 that the Gaza v/as a locust which had not come to the perfect 

 state, without either wings or elytra ; that the Hebrews took it 

 for a perfect insect, and designated it particularly by that name. 

 But the oriental nations having from the most ancient times 

 used the locust as an article of food, were much too well ac- 

 quainted with them to make this mistake. 



Nor is such a supposition at all required. We are acquainted 

 at the present day with several species of locusts, which 

 exactly agree with the account of the crawling locust of the 

 Chaldean version, but with which it would appear M. CEdmann 

 was wholly unacquainted : there is one species especially, the 

 prothorax of which is considerably hollowed near the middle, 

 and elevated posteriorly like a saddle ; this'prothorax conceals 

 the arched sound-producing elytra, which are very short, and are 

 not used as organs of flight : these locusts resemble pupse, but 

 have, nevertheless, arrived at the perfect state, and are capable 

 of propagation : the species has been named Lociista Ephipjnger. 

 There are other species, the females of which have neither 

 wings nor elytra, and are exactly like larvae. Lociista Aptera 

 and L. Puppa, Fab., answer this description. 



But I am inclined to think that the saddle-locust is more 

 likely to be the Gaza of the Bible than either of the two^other 

 kinds just alluded to. Of all crawling locusts, L.Ephippigerxs 

 most frequently found on the vine. It is, however, never suffi- 

 ciently abundant thereon to be injurious, and so cannot be 

 ranged with vine-insects, properly so called ; nor is it in this 

 manner mentioned in the Scriptures. 



6. Cantharis of the GeoponicJcs. — Ninth Cantharide of Aldro- 

 tandus. — Rhynchites Bacchus, or R. Betideti ; or Attelabus 

 of the Vine. — Becmar, — Diahleau. — Lisette and Velours vert 

 of Vine-dressers. — Coleoptera or Beetles ivhich cat the Vine, and 



