S02 DIRECT BENEFITS DERIVED FROM INSECTS. 



the whites as well as Negroes eat greedily ^, The larva 

 of C. cervicornis is, according to Linne, held in equal 

 estimation, and that of Lamia Trihulus when roasted 

 forms an article of food in Africa''. It is probable that 

 all the species of this genus might be safely eaten, as 

 well as many other grubs of Coleoptera ; and although 

 I do not feel disposed to recommend with Reaumur % 

 that the larvae of Oryctes nasicornis should be sought 

 for ^'^ dans les couches de fumier^''' yet I think with Dr. 

 Darwin ''j that those of the cockchafer which feed upon 

 the roots of grass, or the perfect insects themselves, 

 which, if we may judge from the eagerness with which 

 cats, and turkeys and other birds devour them, are no 

 despicable bonne bouche, might be added to our entre- 

 mets. This would be one means of keeping down the 

 numbers of these occasionally destructive animals. 



In the next order of insects, the Orthoptera, the gryl- 

 lus, or locust tribe, as they are the greatest destroyers 

 of food, so as some recompense they furnish a consi- 

 derable supply of it to numerous nations. They are 

 recorded to have done this from the most remote anti- 

 quity, some Ethiopian tribes having been named from 

 this circumstance Aci^idophagi (locust-eaters)*^. Pliny 

 also relates that they were in high esteem as meat 

 amongst the Parthians ^ Hasselquist, in reply to some 

 inquiries which he made on this subject with respect to 

 the Arabs, was informed that at Mecca, when there was 

 a scarcity of corn, as a substitute for flour they would 

 grind locusts in their hand-mills, or pound them in 



* St. Pierre, Voy. 72. " Smeathman, 32. " Reaum. ii. 344. 



* PA3/<oZ. 364. ' Diod. Sic. 1, iii. c. 29. Strabonis Geo^. 1. xvi. &c. 

 ^ Hist. Nat.l.xi. c. 29. 



