258 
TR7\.VELS IN 
them. They are not, however, without a choice in their food. 
When they attack a field of corn juft ftruck into the ear, they 
firll mount to the fummit, and pick out every grain before 
they touch the leaves and the ftem. In fuch a ftate it is 
lamentable to fee the ruins of a fine field of corn. The infeft 
feems conflantly to be in motion and to have fome obje£l in 
view. When on a march during the day it is utterly impoffible 
to turn the direction of a troop, which is generally with the 
wind. The traces of their route over the country are very 
obvious for many weeks after they have pafTed it, the furface 
appearing as if fwept by a broom, or as if a harrow had been 
drawn over it. Towards the fetting of the fun the march is 
difcontinued, when the troop divides into companies, which 
furround the fmall fhrubs, or tufts of grafs, or ant-hills, and in 
fuch thick patches that they appear like fo many fwarms of 
bees ; and in this manner they reft till day-light. It is at fuch 
times as they are thus formed that the farmers have any chance 
of deftroying them, which they fometimes effed; by driving 
among them a flock of two or three thoufand fheep. By the 
reftleffnefs of thefe they are trampled to death. 
Luckily the vifits of this gregarious infect are but periodical, 
otherwife the whole country muft inevitably be deferred, for 
they reft, as the prophet in Holy Writ hath faid, " upon all 
" thorns and upon all bufhes." Even at this time the cattle 
in many parts of Sneuwberg are ftarving for want of food. 
The prefent year is the third of their continuance, and their 
increafe has far exceeded that of a geometrical progreftion 
whofe ratio is a million. For ten years preceding their prefent 
vifit, 
