SOUTHERN AFRICA. 257 
reprodudion might be going on. The numbers of the grllle- 
vori are not lefs aftonifhing than thofe of the locufts. Their 
nefts, that at a diftance appeared to be of fuch great magnitude, 
were found on examination to confift of a number of cells, 
each of which was a feparate neft with a tube that led into it 
through the fide. Of fuch cells each clump contained from fix 
to twenty ; and one roof of interwoven twigs covered the 
whole like that made by the magpie. Moft of them had young 
birds, generally five ; the eggs were of a blueifh white with 
fmall, faint, reddilh fpecks. Thefe birds had here taken up a 
temporary abode in a place where they were not likely, in a 
fhort fpace of time, to be under the neceffity of quitting for 
want of food. Of the innumerable multitudes of the incom- 
plete infed, or larva, of the locufts, that at this time infefted 
this part of Africa, no adequate idea could poffibly be con- 
ceived without having witnefled them. For the fpace of ten 
miles on each fide of the Sea-Cow river, and eighty or ninety 
miles in length, an area of fixteen or eighteen hundred fquare 
miles, the whole furface might literally be faid to be covered 
with them. The water of the river was fcarcely vifible on 
account of the dead carcafes that floated on the furface, 
drowned in the attempt to come at the reeds which grew in 
the water. They had devoured every green herb and every 
blade of grafs ; and had it not been for the reeds, on which 
our cattle entirely fubfifted while we fkirted the banks of the 
river, the journey muft have been difcontinued, at leaft in the 
line that had been propofed. The larvse, as generally is the 
cafe in this clafs of nature, are much more voracious than the 
perfect infed ; nothing that is green feems to come amifs to 
L L them. 
