LOCUSTS OF BENGAL, MADRAS, ASSAM, & BOMBAY. 135 
the young locusts band themselves together and march through the country 
devouring the crops. The loss occasioned in 1888 was estimated in the Con- 
sular report at about a million sterling, In 1888 measures were taken upon a 
large scale by the French Government for the destruction of the eggs, about 
600,600 frances being said to have been expended in buying eggs, at the rate of 
1 fr. 52 c. for two decalitres, from the Arabs. These measures, however, 
proved insufficient, and were considered unsatisfactory, M. Kiinckel d'Hercu- 
lais indeed showing that whereas a man can rarely collect as muchas 2°60 litres 
of egg-cases, containing some 72,000 eggs, ina day, he can destroy about a 
million young locusts by collecting them after they have emerged from the 
eggs. In 1889, therefore, the Government introduced the Cyprus screen 
system upon a considerable scale for the destruction of the young locust. 
About 300 kilometres of screen were procured, and 100,000 people were em- 
ployed in destroying the young locusts. These measures seem to have been 
attended with considerable success, though definite information has not been 
received as to what extent the country was cleared of the pest!. 
Acridium peregrinum.—This is the chief locust of Northern Africa, Arabia, 
Persia, Baluchistan, and North-Western India. It has been fully dealt with 
in the report already issued. 
Acridium paranense bas been described as the migratory locust of the Argen- 
tine Republic, though some writers are of opinion that it may perhaps be the 
same as Acridium peregrinum (vide McLachlan : Encyclop. Brit., article Locust), 
1 The above account is chiefly drawn from (1) Reports I and II by Mons. J. Kiincke} 
d’Herculais, dated May and August, 1888 ; (2) Diplomatic and Consular Report on Agri- 
culture in Algeria, No. 469 ; (8) Papers which have appeared in the Zllustrated London News, 
Le Mobacher published in Algiers, and Insect Life published in Washington, 
