T H E L O C U S T. 287 



their wings and legs are fallen off, they turn reddifh like boiled fhrimps. 

 The natives of Barbary cat them fried with faJtj they are faid to talie 

 like crayfifh. 



There is a locuft: in Tonquin about the bignefs of the top of a finger, 

 and as long as the firft joint. It breeds in the earth, in low grounds. In 

 January or February they ifiiie from the earth in vaft fwarms ; at firft 

 they can hardly fly, fo that they often fall into the rivers in great num- 

 bers i and the natives, in thefe months, watch the rivers, to take them 

 up in nnultitudes in !mail nets. They either eat them frelh, broiled on 

 the coals, or pickle them for keeping. They are confidered as a great 

 delicacy in that part of the world, as well by the rich as the poor. They 

 are regularly brought to market. 



The Great West-Indian Locust, individually confidered, is the 

 moft formidable J about the thicknefs of a goofe-quill ; the body divid- 

 ed into nine or ten joints, in all fix or fcven inches long. It has two 

 fmall eyes, Handing out of the head Ijke thofe of crabs, and two feelers 

 like long hair ; the whole body is ftudded with fmall excrefcences, which 

 are not much bigger than the poi-nts of pins j the ftiape is roundiih, and 

 the body diminifhes in circumference to the tail, which is forked into 

 two horns; between thefe there is a fort of a fheath, containing a fmall 

 dangerous fting. If any perfon happens to touch this infedl, he is fure to 

 be ftung, and is immediately taken with a (hivering and trembling, 

 which may foon be checked by rubbing the place alFeded with a little 

 palm-oil. 



Though there be a fpecies of Cricket that lives in the woods and 

 fields, yet we are beft acquainted with the Houfe-Cricket, whofe voice 

 is fo well known behind a country fire in a winter's evening. The 

 cricket very much refembies thegrafshopper in (hape, manner of rumin- 

 ating, voice, leaping, and method of 'Topagation. It di fibers in colour, 

 which is uniformly a rufty brown ; its food is various, and its place ^ 

 refidence moft uiually the warmeft chinks of a country hearth ; where 

 they once make their abode, they are fure to propagate. They are of a 

 moft chilly nature, feldom leaving the .fire-fide j and, if undifturbed, are 

 feen to hop from their retreats to chirrup at the blaze. The wood- 

 cricket is extremely timorous j but the chimney-cricket, being ufed to 

 noifes, difregards them, and people near it. Whether the voice of this 

 animal is formed by a fine membrane at the bafe of the wings, is not af- 

 ccrtained ; nor do we know the ufe of this voice, fince anatomical in-, 

 fpeflion has not been able to difcovcr the fmallcft organs of hearing. 



Part VI. No. 30. 3 C doubtlefj 



