THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 269 



migratory habits and times of appearance, I do not think we 

 have more than usual to fear from their depredations this 

 season, except in limited locahties. These creatures, just now 

 more particularly infesting Adelaide and neighbourhood, are 

 genuine locusts. 



" ' In every year this kind of migratory locust has appeared 

 at some part or other of the colony in a greater or less 

 degree, though perhaps never to such an extent in our 

 metropolis as during the time first mentioned, — the exact 

 year 1 forget. They were then, and often since, of four 

 distinct species, all flying and mingling together, but not 

 easily distinguished, being nearly similar in size. That 

 spoken of by your correspondent ' Observer' — " female dirty 

 brown, males a bright yellow" — was and has always been by 

 far the most numerous. In all the locust tribe, I believe 

 without an exception, the male is smaller than the female. 



" ' In every year that I have observed these migrating 

 species at one or other part of the colony, they have in no 

 case been seen in any numbers after the 1st of January. 

 They seem to die ofi' gradually as the new year approaches : 

 their lime is up, their strength exhausted, and, perhaps, the 

 increasing heat of the weather and decrease of food aid in 

 their destruction. At this time, also, the females finish their 

 egg-laying. As to remedies against their numbers and 

 destructive habits, these have been asked for naturally 

 enough ever since their first appearance, but none can be 

 ofiered as concerns the mass, nor reasons given why they 

 come more one year than another, or in particular localities. 

 In the earlier days I could suggest but two things, and these 

 applied only to their very partial destruction, first stating 

 that the gradual cultivation and opening up of the soil would 

 tend as much as anything to decrease their numbers, as the 

 eggs (of which each female lays a good many) are deposited 

 about an inch under ground, thus preserving them from the 

 effects of the weather, but not from the action of the plough. 

 Of the two remedies (though only to a small extent) above 

 alluded to, the one was keeping a large body of fowls, to 

 assist the insectivorous birds that were always seen in num- 

 bers about a homestead, especially at locust time ; but in 

 these days of destruction of the smaller birds lor sport, or 

 under the mistaken impression that they are all fruit- or 



