AN ENTOMOLOGICAL STUDY. 435 



about two miles off. Whilst working towards these we 

 descried another flock of seven, and most of them good rams 

 too, not far from the first lot. As usual, they were in an open 

 and unapproachable position. Both lots, however, appeared 

 to be feeding up towards the brow of a rise above them ; so, 

 after getting as near as we could, which was still over a mile 

 from them, we lay down to watch their movements, in the 

 hope that they would soon put the brow of the hill between 

 them and us. As we lay motionless there, getting half roasted 

 by the blazing sun, I was much entertained by a curious 

 little entomological study that chanced to come under my 

 observation. I noticed innumerable small grey grasshoppers 

 I should call them crickets, as there was very little grass for 

 them to hop on which showed a strange amount of curiosity 

 respecting our persons. They came creeping towards us over 

 the stones from all sides, even crawling and hopping over 

 us, and paying particular attention to the oil on the guns, 

 the flavour of which seemed to be very attractive to them. 

 They were so fearless as even to greedily devour the ends of 

 atoms of dry grass softened between my teeth and held close 

 to their mouths. 



As soon as the last of the rams had disappeared over the brow, 

 we made for it as fast as we were able, in order to get there, 

 if possible, before they were out of range beyond it ; but on 

 reaching it, not a vestige of the animals was to be seen. 

 Soon, however, we descried two fine rams in another direc- 

 tion, and whilst deliberating as to the best way of approaching 

 them, six more came over a rise on to the same ground. It 

 was truly a case of embarras des richesses this time, for the 

 relative positions of the two lots were such that it was im- 

 possible to stalk one without our being detected by the other. 

 As it was now growing late, and we were at least six miles 

 from our camp, we reluctantly had to abandon further pursuit 

 that evening, in the hope of finding the animals in the same 

 vicinity next day. 



