52 



It is evident that the memorial of the American Association, referred to above, has 

 already produced an effect upon the Legislature of the United States. We have little 

 doubt that the Bill, with perhaps some slight modifications, will be passed by Congress ; 

 and we have equally little doubt that, if the work is entrusted to the right men, we shall 

 soon observe some very important results, that will speedily repay the nation many times 

 over for any expenditure that may be incurred. We trust now that the matter will be 

 brought before the consideration of the Legislature of thi^ Dominion, in order that there 

 may be the fullest co-operation with the work on the other side of the line. 



Locusts as an Article of Food. 



The use of locusts as an article of food was referred to in our last Eeport, where, 

 after mentioning various instances in which difterent species of the insect have been made 

 use of in this way in many parts of the world, we stated that " it remains to be proved 

 that a nutritious article of food may not be obtained from the Rocky Mountain locust 

 {Caloiilewus spreius) ; certainly it is an experiment worth trj'ing ; if successful we should 

 have a double benefit — the lessening of the numbers of the locusts and the supply of food 

 wherewith to meet the famine that they have produced." We are glad to find that our 

 friend. Professor Kiley, who has had excellent opportunities for the purpose, has' made 

 the experiment with decideil success. From his paper on the subject, read before the 

 American Association, we make the fsllowing extracts : — 



" Whenever the occasion presented, 1 partook of locusts prepared in different ways, 

 and one day 1 ate of no other kind of food, and must have consumed, in one form and 

 another, the substance of several thousand half-grown locusts. Commencing the experi- 

 ments with some misgivings, and fully expecting to have to overcome disagreeable flavour, 

 I was soon most agreeably surprised to find that the insects were quite palatable, in what- 

 ever way prepared. The flavour of the raw locust is most strong and disagreeable ; but 

 that of the cooked insects is agreeable, and sufficiently mild to be easily neutralized by 

 anything with which they may be mixed, and to admit of easy disguise, according to taste 

 or fancy. But the great point I would make in their favour is, that they need no elaborate 

 preparation or seasoning. They require no disguise, and herein lies their value in ex- 

 ceptional emergencies; for when people are driven to the point of starvation by these 

 ravenous pests, it follows that all other food is either very scarce or unattainable. A 

 broth, made by boiling the unfledged Calopteni for two hours in the proper quantity of 

 water, and seasoned with nothing in the world but pepper anil salt, is quite palatable, 

 and can scarcely be distinguished from beef broth, though it has a slight flavour peculiar 

 to it and not easily described. The addition of a little butter improves it, and the fla- 

 vour can, of course, be modified with mint, sage and other spices, ad libitum. Fried or 

 roasted in nothing but their own oil, with the addition of a little salt, they are by no 

 means unpleasant eating, and have quite a nutty flavour. In fact it is a flavour, like 

 most peculiar and not unpleasant flavours, that one can soon learn to get fond of. Pre- 

 pared in this manner, ground and compressed, they would doubtless keep for a long time. 

 Yet their consumption in large quantities in this form would not, I think, prove as 

 wholesome as when made into soup or broth ; for I found the chitinous covering and the 

 corneous parts, especially the spines on the tibia?, dry and chippy, and somewhat irritat- 

 ing to the throat. This oljjection would not apply with the same force to the mature 

 individuals, especially of larger species, where the heads, legs and wings are carefully 

 separated before cooking ; and, in fact, some of the mature insects prepared in this way, 

 then boiled and afterward stewed with a few vegetables and a little butter, pepper, salt 

 and vinegar, made an excellent fricassee. 



" Lest it be presumed that these opinions result from an unnatural palate, or from 

 mere indi\adual taste, let me add that I took pains to get the opinions of many other per- 

 sons. Indeed, I shall not soon forget the experience of my first culinary effort in this 

 line — so fraught with fear and so forcibly illustrating the power of exami)le in overcom- 

 ing prejudice. This attempt was made at an hotel. At first it was impossible to get any 

 assistance from the followers of the ars coqtiinaria. They could not have more flatly re- 

 fused to touch, taste or handle, had it been a question of cooking vipers. Nor love nor 

 money could induce them to do either, and in this respect the folks of the kitchen were all 



