104 NORTH AMERICAN INSECTS. 
that numbers had escaped, acquired their wings, and had 
already destroyed a great part of the vegetation. 
But the more majestic view of one of their flying swarms 
presented itself to me in Asia, in the island of Phanagoria, 
after having crossed the Black Sea at Panticapacum, the 
modern city of Kertsch, on the Bosporus. ‘This island is 
the residence of the Cossacks of the Black Sea, who on that 
account are called in the Russian language Zschernomorskt, 
‘‘Black Sea Islanders.” Soon after my arrival in that 
country, and while continuing my travels, I saw before me, 
at a distance of about five miles, near the city of Tutmara- 
kan, several thick and solid columns, arising perpendicu- 
larly from the ground, like the smoke of a volcano, which 
at the height of five hundred feet assumed the form of 
heavy, dark clouds, which soon covered the whole sky, en- 
tirely intercepting all solar light. 
These apparent clouds were nothing but swarms of 
Grasshoppers, which in a short time descended to the 
eround with a shrill, whistling noise, covering an immen::2 
area of land which a few hours before was clothed with 
thick luxuriant grass, and in a few moments after was as 
barren as a turnpike. 
This species of Grasshopper is over two inches long, and 
of a light brown color. On account of its wandering life, 
it was called by Linnzus the migratory or wandering 
Grasshopper (Giryllus migratorius). This is the same insect 
as the one mentioned by Matthew in the 3d chapter, 4th 
verse, where he speaks of John, saying “his meat was lo- 
custs and wild honey,” and it is even now a common arti- 
cle of food among several Eastern nations, and particularly 
among the Arabians. 
In the United States we have a large number of different 
species of Grasshopper, whose characteristics are very sim- 
ilar, and whose ravages would be very extensive, breeding 
famine and pestilence, if they were allowed to increase and 
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