CHAPTER XIX 



THE LOCUSTS: THE LAST MOULT 



1HAVE just beheld a stirring sight: the 

 last moult of a Locust, the extraction of 

 the adult from his larval wrapper. It is 

 magnificent. The object of my enthusiasm is 

 the Grey Locust, the giant among our 

 Acridians, who is common on the vines at 

 vintage-time, in September. On account of 

 his size — he is as long as my finger — he is 

 a better subject for observation than any 

 other of his tribe. 



The fat, ungraceful larva, a rough draft 

 of the perfect insect, is usually pale-green; 

 but some also are bluish-green, dirty-yellow, 

 red-brown or even ashen-grey, like the grey 

 of the adult. The corselet is strongly keeled 

 and notched, with a sprinkling of fine white 

 worm-holes. The hind-legs, powerful as 

 those of mature age, have a great haunch 

 striped with red and a long shank shaped 

 like a two-edged saw. 



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