INSECTS. 



if they were endued with the voraciousness of the 

 locusts of the east, would spread devastation and ter- 

 ror throughout the country they fix upon for a visit,.,* 

 But happily the cicada or locust, in this state, is not 

 more injurious than the sportive summer grass* 

 liopper. 



The appearance of the locust, when first escaping 

 from its earthy mansion, is a large amber-coloured 

 grub-worm, about one inch and a half in length, and 

 about an inch in circumference; the feet are more 

 strongly formed than those of the grasshopper, and 

 considerably shorter ; the insect seldom leaping ; la 

 the outer covering, or grub case^ if the term may be 

 admitted, near the back of the neck, begins an open- 

 ing, which continues down the body, nearly half the 

 length of the insect: through this opening the locust 

 protrudes itself, and appears, at first, a white-cor 

 loured moth, nearly resembling a silk worm, in its 

 moth state, though much larger. The wings, in this 

 tender state of the insect, are wonderfelly folded, in 

 close rolls, near their basis, so exquisitely compact, 

 that it requires several careful observations to com- 

 prehend the possibility of the wings being formed 

 with the insect, as they appear an almost instanta- 

 neous creation, when they are expanded, which is 

 performed by the locust shaking itself with a consi- 

 derable force. The time when they issue from the 

 ground, is about an hour or two after sun-set ; soon 

 after which they begin their exertions to free them- 

 selves from the grub case, which the stronger ones 

 effect in an hour or two. They remain on the 

 branches of the trees, which they have attained 

 (before this last metamorphosis) until morning, when 

 Kk 2 



