124 Iiidli7) MvsPir.n Nof.ps. [ Vol. II. 



kaidats tliey receivad orders to weigh them daily in the presence of their 

 sheikhs. 



It was thus that between April 24th and May 12th over 60,000 kilos, 

 were collected in the kaidats of Susa, Djemel, and Mehedia. On the 

 same principles it is reported that 76^000 decalitres of eggrg were collec- 

 ted at Medenine in the extreme south of the Regency, 6,800 decalitres 

 around Gabes, and 2,700 around Giifsa. 



With regard to the laying of eggs, Mr Heniy, Controleur Civil of 

 „ ,. , Tozeur, in an interesting: report on the subiect. 



Coupling grounds. » t o j 



recommends that when a flight of locusts 

 alights for coupling purposes, the ground should be noted and carefully 

 examined, as subsequent flights will usually select the same spot with a 

 similar object. 



These observations facilitate the discovery on the surface of the earth 

 -g , ., of numbers of holes, such as are caused by 



heavy raindrops, and which are formed hy 

 the locusts with their sterns for the deposits of eggs in clusters contain- 

 ing each from 98 to 102 eggs. 



It then suffices to scrape the earth to a depth of about 2 inches to lay 

 bare the eggs which should be carefully crushed or burnt in a trench, and 

 subsequently buried. 



The locust which has invaded the Regency this year belongs to the 

 Species of locusts. species AcricUum peregrinum. 



The period of incubation varies from twenty- 

 Period of incubation. o j <. -i t 



nve to forty days accordmg to tlie season of 



the year, and temperature of the country where the eggs are deposited. 



The hatching of a swarm continues for 

 Hatching. _ . , 



hve or six days. 



When the young locusts aj)pear, they are of a greyish hue, which 

 turns to black in twenty-four hours. 



These first five days are the most favourable for their destruction be- 

 Importance of the first five fore they gain strength and form themselves 

 •^'^y^- into large marching columns. 



They can be crushed and burnt in large quantities from about an hour 

 before sunset to the same time after sunrise, when tiiey are clustered in 

 masses on bushes and j)lants. 



On the sixth or seventh day after they are hatched, when the youn^' 



locusts have assumed a greenish hue, they 



Migration. • ^ • j_ i" 



commence gronpmg tor a migratory march, 



and it has been observed that their speed can then be calculated at about 



