300 DIRECT BENJEFITS DERIVED FJEfcOM INSECTS. 



in Jamaica this grub is called Macauco, and is in request 

 at the principal tables. A similar insect is dressed at 

 Mauritius under the name of Moutac, which the whites 

 as well as Negroes eat greedily a . The larva of C. cervi- 

 comis is, according to Linne, held in equal estimation, 

 and that of Lamia Tribulus when roasted forms an ar- 

 ticle of food in Africa b . It is probable that all the spe- 

 cies of this genus might be safely eaten, as well as many 

 other grubs of Coleoptera ; and although I do not feel 

 disposed to recommend with Reaumur c , that the larvae 

 of Oryctes nasicornis should be sought for " dans les 

 couches defumier" yet I think with Dr. Darwin d , that 

 those of the cockchafer which feed upon the roots of 

 grass, or the perfect insects themselves, which, if we may 

 judge from the eagerness with which cats, and turkeys 

 and other birds devour them, are no despicable bonne 

 boiiche, might be added to our entremets. This would 

 be one means of keeping down the numbers of these 

 occasionally destructive animals. 



In the next order of insects, the Ortkoptera, the gryl- 

 lus, or locust tribe, as they are the greatest destroyers 

 of food, so as some recompense they furnish a considera- 

 ble supply of it to numerous nations. They are record- 

 ed to have done this from the most remote antiquity, 

 some Ethiopian tribes having been named from this cir- 

 cumstance Acridophagi (locust-eaters) e . Pliny also re- 

 lates that they were in high esteem as meat amongst the 

 Parthians f . Hasselquist, in reply to some inquiries 

 which he made on this subject with respect to- the Arabs, 



a St. Pierre, V&y. 12. b Smeathman, 32. c Reaum. ii. .344. 

 d Phytol 364. e Diod Sic. 1. Hi. c. 29. Strabonis Geog. 1. xvi. &c, 

 ' gist, Nat. 1. xL c. SO. 



