12 INTRODUCTION. 



We are informed by Buffon that there was once a danger of 

 the island of Bourbon being entirely devastated by locusts ; the 

 eggs of which were introduced with some plants from Madagas- 

 car. They were rapidly multiplying, and the produce of the 

 fields was in progress of being destroyed. But the Governor, 

 who was a man of superior intelligence, learning the great 

 services which the Grakle performed in India, had a number of 

 pairs introduced and distributed over the islands. They bred 

 very fast, were diligent in their labours ; and in a few years the 

 locusts seemed extirpated. When this took place, the Grakles 

 began to dig and examine the newly-sown fields ; and the 

 colonists, concluding that they did so for the purpose of eating 

 the seeds, (when they were in reality only searching for the eggs 

 of the locusts), took the alarm, got them proscribed by govern- 

 ment, and speedily exterminated them. In a few years, how- 

 ever, they perceived their error ; for the ravages of the locusts 

 recommenced. Upon this the governor procured a second supply 

 of birds from India ; and the state took charge of their preser- 

 vation. Special laws were framed for their protection ; and, 

 lest the people should have a hankering for grakle pie, the 

 physicians were instructed to proclaim their flesh very unwhole- 

 some food. But this extraordinary care was injurious. The 

 birds soon again cleared the island of the locusts, and destroyed 

 the grubs which injure the coffee plantations. But when this 

 supply failed them, they proceeded to attack the corn-fields and 

 orchards ; arid even killed the young of pigeons, and other domes- 

 tic birds. In order to restore the balance, a sort of Malthusian 

 law was enacted, to prevent their numbers from exceeding 

 the quantity of their legitimate food ; and, when thus kept in 

 check, they continued to do good without any admixture of evil. 



Many similar examples might be adduced, to illustrate the 

 advantages which a very moderate acquaintance with Natural 

 History confers upon its possessor, and the injurious results 

 which proceed from ignorance of its simplest principles. But it 

 is a very partial view of the objects of Science, which looks for 



