384 INSECTS. 



(he surprize into which she was thrown by the first view of the flashes 

 of light proceeding from these Insects. " The Indians once brought 

 me, " says she/' before 1 knew that they shone by night, a number 

 of these lantern-flies, which I shut up in a large wooden box. It: 

 the night they made such a noise, that I awoke in a fright, and ordered 

 a light to be brought : not knowing then whence the noise proceeded. 

 As soon as we found that it came from the box, we opened it ; but 

 were still much more alarmed, and let it fall to the ground in a fright, 

 at seeing a flame of fire come out of it ; and as many animals as came 

 out, so many flames of fire appeared . When we found this to be the 

 case, we recovered from our fright, and again collected the Insects 

 highly admiring their splendid appearance." 



[Shazv. 



SECTION III. 



Locust Cricket, 



Gryllus. Linn. 

 There are various species belonging to this genus, that are worthy 

 notice in the present place : particularly the migratory locust, the 

 crested cricket, and the mole cricket. We shall give a short de. 

 scription of each in their order. 



1. Migratorius Locust, 



Gryllus migratorius. Linn. 



This species is to be placed among the most noxious of all in- 

 sects, or those capable of producing the most dreadful and extensive 

 destruction. Legions of these animals are from time to time ob- 

 served in various parts of the world, where the havoc they commit 

 is almost incredible : whole provinces are in a manner desolated by 

 them in the space of a few days, and the air is darkened by their 

 numbers ; nay even when dead they are still terrible ; since the 

 putrefaction arising from their inconceivable number is such, that 

 it his been regarded as one of the probable causes of pestilence in 

 the Eastern regions. This formidable Locust is generally of a 

 brownish colour, varied with pale red or flesh-colour, and the legs 

 are frequently blueish. In the year 1748, it appeared in irregular 



