47 



LOCUSTS. 



Locust (a species of Southern Europe). Acridium ccr/yptiuut, L. 

 South American Migratory Locust. Acridium {Schistucerca) para- 

 nense, Burin. 



ACRIDIUM ^GYPTIUM. 



In the early part of the past year (1893), some specimens of Locusts 

 which had certainly, in some cases, and presumably in all, been 

 imported into this country, were forwarded to me by correspondents. 

 Of these, two very fine specimens, sent from two different localities, 

 were still alive, and one in active condition ; others which were dead, 

 and obviously had been so for some time, were found in such great 

 numbers in Lucerne (Alfalfa), imported as fodder from Buenos Ayres, 

 in South America, that it was estimated there was one Locust to each 

 pound of hay in the fodder examined. 



Later on in the year, at the beginning of September, another 

 application was sent me on the part of a farmer in the neighbourhood 

 of Caversham, in Oxfordshire, who had just purchased some "foreign 

 hay," and found quantities of Locusts in it to the amount of "not less 

 than two, hundred specimens in one truss." These Locusts (with one 

 possible exception) appeared to be of precisely the same species as those 

 imported from Buenos Ayres, and like them were all dead. 



The figure at the head of this paper, which was sketched from one 

 of the live specimens sent me, gives also a good idea of the general 

 appearance of the fine insects, commonly known as Locusts, when at 

 rest, or preparing for one of their long leaps. 



For common purposes. Locusts may perhaps be best described as a 

 very large kind of what, in this country, we call " Grasshoppers," and 

 the family to which they belong (LocustidcB, Leach) is distinguishable 

 from others of " Saltatorial Orthoptera," such as our English House 

 Crickets, Field Crickets, and the like, by the horns, or antenmc, being 

 thread-like, or cylindric, and short, not exceeding the body in length ; 

 by the wing-covers, and the folded wings beneath them, being deflexed, 

 that is, not placed horizontally, but sloping like the roof of a house ; 



