OKTHOPTEKA. 305 



blew they were driven into the sea, and their carcases occasioned 

 a plague which laid Barbary waste. 



India and China often fall victims to these destructive insects. 

 In 1735 clouds of locusts hid from the Chinese both the sun and 

 moon. Not only the standing crops, but also the corn in the 

 barns and the clothes in the houses being devoured. 



In the south of France locusts multiply sometimes so prodi- 

 giously, that in a very short time many barrels may be filled with 

 their eggs. They have caused at different periods immense 

 damage. It was chiefly in the years 1613, 1805, 1820, 1822, 

 1824, 1825, 1832, and 1834, that their visits to the south of France 

 were most formidable. 



Mezeray relates that in the month of January, 1613, in the reign 

 of Louis XIII., locusts invaded the country around Aries. In seven 

 or eight hours the wheat and crops were devoured to the roots 

 over an extent of country of 15,000 acres. They then crossed 

 over the Rhine, and visited Tarascon and Beaucaire, where they 

 ate the vegetables and lucerne. They then shifted their quarters 

 to Aramon, to Monfrin, to Yalabregues, &c., where they were 

 fortunately destroyed in great part by the starlings and other 

 insect-eating birds, which flocked in innumerable numbers to this 

 game. 



The consuls of Aries and of Marseilles caused the eggs to be 

 collected. Aries spent, for this object, 25,000 francs, and Mar- 

 seilles 20,000 francs. 3,000 quintals of eggs were interred or 

 thrown into the Rhone. If we count 1,750,000 eggs per quintal, 

 that will give us a total of 5,250,000,000 of locusts destroyed in the 

 egg, which otherwise would have very soon renewed the ravages of 

 which the country had so lately been the victim. In 1822 were 

 spent again, in Provence, 2,227 francs for the same object. In 

 1825 were spent 6,200 francs. A reward of 50 centimes was given 

 for every kilogramme of eggs, and half the sum for every kilo- 

 gramme of insects. The eggs collected were burnt, or else crushed 

 under heavy rollers. The gathering was entrusted to women and 

 children. The operation consisted in dragging along the ground 

 great sheets, the corners of which were held up. The locusts came 

 and settled on these, and were caught by rolling the sheet up. 



In the territory of Saint es- Maries, situated not far from Aigues- 



