THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 293 



have enough to do to go through the gardens where there is 

 anything green. The first things they eat most are potato- 

 tops, and reeds and grass. Of course I shall be able to tell 

 more about it in a few days. Their direction here is from 

 north-west to south-east.' Some anxiety has been shown as 

 to the extent of the ravages in Dr. Schomburgk's domain of 

 the marauding armies of locusts; but it is gratifying to learn 

 that, while verbenas and some dainty flowers have fared 

 badly, the gardens as a whole have not suffered much. The 

 bulk of the leafage of shrubs and ornamental trees would 

 probably have been cleared but for the pasture-land which 

 adjoins the pleasure-ground, and the plots of couch and 

 other grasses that have been so tastefully laid out. On these 

 spots the hordes settled in myriads, and in many places 

 nothing remains but the bare brown earth and a few tussocks 

 where there was formerly a fine bright green sward, soft as 

 velvet and refreshing to the eye. The pests swept over the 

 grass and ate it far closer than sheep would have done. The 

 Director is yet thankful that this satisfied them, and the 

 locusts in consequence spared what was of vastly more 

 value. Well watering the plots will restore the artificial 

 grasses, and ere long a fresh crop will spring. 



" Other colonies as well as our own have been suffering 

 from a similar visitation. From Echuca we hear that incal- 

 culable mischief has been done to the standing crops in the 

 district ; but the local paper adds : — ' It may be useful to 

 agriculturists to learn that the larkspur is exceedingly fatal 

 to these insects. They may be seen lying dead in heaps in 

 gardens where this plant is cultivated.' 



" Mr. M. Symonds Clark, in a letter to the 'Register,' 

 writes : — ' Of birds which destroy locusts we have a great 

 many species. A very old colonist has informed me that 

 quail were formerly very abundant upon the Adelaide Plains, 

 and that on examining the crops of some of these birds 

 which he had shot he found them to be full of grasshoppers. 

 Probably hawks of all kinds, crows, native magpies, shrikes, 

 laughing jackasses, kingfishers, plover, landrail, swans, geese, 

 and nearly all game birds, together with many of the small 

 birds, lend their aid in checking the increase of the locusts. 

 How advisable is it, therefore, that the wanton destruction of 

 these birds should be put a stop to.'" 



