

The Life of the Grasshopper 



a St. Andrew's cross on the small of his back, 

 which is marked by four white, slanting 

 stripes. His livery has patches of verdigris, 

 the exact colour of the patina on old bronze 

 medals. With her hand raised in the air, 

 ready to swoop down, she approaches very 

 softly, stooping low. Whoosh! That's done 

 it! Quick, a screw of paper to receive 

 the treasure, which, thrust head first into the 

 opening, plunges with one bound to the 

 bottom of the funnel. 



Thus are our bags distended one by one; 

 thus are our boxes filled. Before the heat 

 becomes too great to bear, we are in possess- 

 ion of a number of varied specimens which, 

 raised in captivity, will perhaps teach us 

 something, if we know how to question them. 

 Thereupon we go home again. The Lo- 

 cust has made three people happy at a small 

 cost. 



The first question that I put to my board- 

 ers is this: 



" What function do you perform in the 

 fields?" 



You have a bad reputation, I know; the 

 text-books describe you as noxious. Do you 

 deserve this reproach? I take the liberty of 

 doubting it, except, of course, in the case of 



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