The Life of the Grasshopper 



fatal dainty, for anglers use the Locust when 

 they wish to bait their hook with a particu- 

 larly attractive morsel. 



Without expatiating further on the 

 devourers of this small game, I can clearly 

 see the great usefulness of the Acridian who 

 by successive leaps transmits to man, that 

 most wasteful of eaters, the lean grass now 

 converted into exquisite fare. Gladly there- 

 fore would I say, with the Arab writer : 



" Wherefore, from this testimony, it is 

 very sure that, by the grace of God, Grass- 

 hoppers were given to man for his nourish- 

 ment." 



One thing alone makes me hesitate : the 

 direct consumption of the Locust. As re- 

 gards indirect consumption, under the form 

 of Partridge, young Turkey and others, none 

 will think of denying him his praises. Is 

 direct consumption then so unpleasant? 

 That was not the opinion of Omar, 1 the 

 mighty caliph, the destroyer of the library 

 of Alexandria. His stomach was as rude 

 as his intellect; and, by his own account, he 



1 Omar, the second caliph and the first to assume the 

 title of Commander of the Faithful, reigned from 634 

 to his death in 644. The Alexandrian library was burnt 

 in 640. — Translator's Note. 



364 



