356 NATURAL HISTORY OF AFRICA. 



the lamp. All the mantis trTbe are very remarkable insect* 5 

 and this one, whose dusky sober colouring well suits the 

 obscurity of night, is certainly so by the late hours it keeps. 

 It often settled on my book, or on the press where I waa 

 writing, and remained still, as if considering some affair of 

 importance, with an appearance of intelligence which had 

 a wonderful effect in withholding my hand from doing it 

 harm. Although hujtf reds have flown within my power, I 

 never took more than five. I have given to this curious 

 little creature the name of Mantis lucuhrans; and having 

 no doubt that he will introduce himself to every traveller 

 ■who comes into this country in the months of November 

 and December, I beg to recommend him as a harmless little 

 companion, and entreat that kindness and mercy may be 

 shown to him."* 



Locusts are of common occurrence in many parts of 

 Africa. Mr. Barrow records, that in the southern districts 

 which he visited, the surface of an area of nearly 2000 

 square miles might literally be said to be covered by them. 

 The water of a wide river was scarcely visible in conse- 

 quence of the innumerable dead locusts that floated on its 

 surface, apparently drowned in their attempts to reach the 

 reeds which grew along its shores. Except these much- 

 wished-for reeds, they had devoured every other green thing. 

 Their destruction on a former occasion was sudden and 

 singular. All the fuU-grov^m insects were driven into the 

 sea by a tempestuous north-west wind, and were afterward 

 cast upon the beach, where they formed a bank three or 

 four feet high, and extending nearly fifty English miles. 

 The smell, as may easily be supposed, was abominable, 

 and was sensibly felt at a distance of 150 miles. 



The migratory flight of the locust, and its desolating 

 effects upon vegetation, and consequent injury both to man 

 and beast, have afforded a frequent exercise to the pen of 

 the poet ; but by none have their injurious inroads been so 

 magnificently treated as by the Prophet Joel. "A day of 

 darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick 

 darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains ; a 

 great people and a strong : there hath not been ever the 

 Jike, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of 



* BurcheU'a Travels, vol. i. p. 418 



