The Locusts: their Eggs 



The Hen salutes the egg which she has 

 just laid with a song of gladness; she an- 

 nounces her maternal joys, to the whole 

 neighbourhood. Even so does the Locust 

 do in many cases. With her thin scraper, 

 she celebrates the advent of her family. She 

 says: 



" Non omnis moriar; I have buried under- 

 ground the treasure of the future; I have 

 entrusted to the incubation of the great 

 hatcher a keg of germs which will take my 

 place." 



Everything on the site of the nest is put 

 right in one brief spell of work. The mother 

 then leaves the spot, refreshes herself after 

 her exertions with a few mouthfuls of green 

 stuff and prepares to begin again. 



The largest of the Acridians in our part 

 of the country, the Grey Locust (Pachytylus 

 dnerescens, FABR.), rivals the African Lo- 

 custs in size, without possessing their calami- 

 tous habits. He is peace-loving and tem- 

 perate and above reproach where the fruits 

 of the earth are concerned. From him we 

 obtain a little information which is easily 

 verified by observing the insect in captivity. 



The eggs are laid about the end of April, 

 a few days after the pairing, which lasts 

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