14 HISTORY OF INSECTS. 



it assumes the winged state, and then myriads assemble, 

 and having stripped the earth of its mantle of green, rise in 

 the air, and are driven by the wind, carrying with them 

 destruction, famine, and pestilence. The shape and ap- 

 pearance of the locust is that of our commonest grasshopper, 

 but it greatly exceeds that insect in size ; it leaps with ease 

 and agility, but, except in its migrations, does not rea- 

 dily fly. The jaws of the locust are excessively hard and 

 strong, capable of devouring not only the leaves, but, when 

 these fail, the bark and even the solid wood of trees. The 

 sound of their feeding, when in swarms, is as the rushing of 

 flames driven by the wind. Happily, in this country, the 

 locust is very rare ; it has occasionally been driven over by 

 winds, but has never been known to breed here. In the 

 year 1748, a considerable number were observed, but not 

 enough to do any serious injury. 



History of the Ant-lion.* The ant-lion is a native of 

 Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, and Turkey, and probably 

 of most of the tropical countries : it is a large fly with four 

 long wings, beautifully reticulated, like those of a common 

 dragon-fly. The egg is laid by this fly either upon the 

 surface of the ground or just below it, in sandy and loose 

 soils ; the heat of the sun soon causes it to hatch and pro- 

 duce a larva. The larva, in shape, has a slight 

 resemblance to a wood-louse ; but the outline 

 of its body is more oval, and the anterior part 

 often considerably wider than the posterior : it 

 has six legs, and the mouth is furnished with a 

 pair of forceps, consisting of two incurved jaws, which 

 give it a formidable appearance. Its food consists solely 

 of the juices of other insects, particularly ants ; at first view 

 it seems scarcely possible that it should ever procure a 



* Authority : Kirby and Spence's 'Introduction to Entomology. ' 



