LOG 
mSfiied by the tedioufnefs of their jonriiey, and 
confequently prove more voracious wherever they 
happen to fettle. But what they aftually devour 
is of much lefs importance than v/hat they conta- 
minate : their very Ijite is fuppofed to be poifonous ; 
the marks of their devaftation may be traced for 
feveral feafons; and they feem to burn up what- 
ever they touch, and check the progrefs of fu- 
ture vegetation. But, if thefe infefts are noxious 
while living, they are ftill more fo when dead ; for, 
wherever they fall, they infe£l the air in fuch a 
manner, that their ftench is intolerable. Crofius 
informs us that, in the year of the Creation 3800, 
an incredible number of Locufts infefted Africa; 
and, after having confumed every green thing, 
they flevkf tov/ards and were drowned in the African 
Sea, where they caufed fuch a ftench, that the pu- 
trified carcafes of millions of the human fpecies 
could not have been more ofFenfive. In the year 
of the Chriftian £era 1690, a cloud of Locufts 
entered Ruffia in three different places, and from 
thence fpread themfelves over Poland and Lithu- 
ania, in fuch aftoniftiing multitudes, that the fun 
could not penetrate the gloom occafioned by 
them, and the earth was covered with their num- 
bers: in fome places they were feen lying dead, 
heaped on each other, to the depth of four feet; 
and, in others, they covered the furface of the 
ground like a black veil ; the trees yielded to 
their weight, and the whole country fuftained in- 
credible damage. 
In Barbary, the vifits of thefe noxious infefts 
are frequent and formidable. Dr. Shaw, vv^ho 
was a witnefs of their devaftations there in 1724, 
informs us, that they made their firfl: appearance 
about the latter end of March, when the wind 
had blown from the fouthern point for fome days. 
About the beginning of April, their numbers 
were fo prodigioufly increafed, that, during the 
heae of the day, they formed themfelves into large 
fwarms, appeared like clouds, and darkened the 
very fun. About the middle of May they be- 
gan to difappear, retiring into the plains to de- 
pofit their eggs. The next month the young 
brood began to come abroad, forming many com^ 
paft bodies of feveral hundred yards fquarc; 
which afterwards moving forwards, climbed the 
trees, v/alls, and houfes, and devoured every green 
thing. Some of the inhabitants, in order to ftop 
their progrefs, cut trenches over all their fields 
and gardens, and filled them with water; and 
others placed large quantities of heath, ftubble, 
and fuch-like combuftible matter, in rows, and 
fet fire to them on the approach of the Locufts. 
But all thefe precautions proved ineffeftual; for 
the trenches were quickly filled up, and the fires 
extinguiflied, by the vaft number of fwarms which 
fticceeded each other: in a day or two after one 
of thefe was in motion, others, juft hatched, pro- 
ceeded to glean after them, gnawing the young 
branches, and even the very bark off the trees. 
Having fubfifted in this manner near a month, 
they attained their full growth, and cafting their 
exuvijE, emancipated themfelves from their worm- 
like ftate. In order to prepare themfelves for 
this change, they affixed their hinder feet to fome 
bufhes or twigs, or to the corners of ftones; when 
immediately, by an undulating motion peculiar 
to the occafion, their heads firft appeared, and, 
foon after, the reft of their bodies. The whole 
transformation was performed in the fpace of fe- 
yen or eight minutes: after which, they continued 
LOG 
for fome time In a languifhing condition ; but, 
foon as the fun and air had hardened their wings* 
and dried up the fuperfiuous moifture, they re- 
turned to their former voracity with additional 
ftrength and agility. However, they were fooli 
entirely difperfed; for^ after laying their eggs, 
they dircfted their courfe northward, and proba- 
bly periftied in the fea. It is faid that thefe ani- 
mals make holes of the depth of four feet, for the 
piirpofe of dcpofiting their eggs; and that the 
eggs of each are about fourfcore in number, of 
the fize of caraway comfits, and bundled up to- 
gether in clufters. 
To recount all die devaftations which thefe fa- 
mifhed infeils have at different times occafioned, 
would be endlefs. But what can induce them to 
take fuch diftant Bights, when they enter Europe, 
is not eafily accounted for. However, it feems 
probable, that in dry feafons, when they are pro- 
pagated in ilich amazing numbers, the vegetables 
of thofe fituations where they are produced are 
not fufficient to fuftain them: thus being com- 
pelled to migrate, they traverfe fandy defarts, 
where no fupplles are to be found; and ftill meet- 
ing with nothing to allure them from their 
heights, they proceed forwards acrofs the fea, and 
arriving on the continent of Europe, alight on 
the firft verdure which they difcover. 
The inhabitants of fome countries convert this 
plague into an article of domeftic ufe. In many 
kingdoms of the Eaft, Locuft"s are regarded as a 
tolerable difli, and are caught by the natives in 
fmall nets provided for that purpofe: they are 
then parched over the fire in earthen pans; and, 
v/hen their wings and legs fall off, the colour of 
their bodies changes to that of boiled fhrimps. 
Dampier informs us, that he has eaten them thus 
prepared, and confidered them as pretty palate- 
able. The natives of Barbary alfo are faid to eat 
them fried with filt; and to liken their tafte to 
that of cray-fifh. 
Locust, Great Brown. This infecft, which 
is about three inches long, has two horns or 
feelers an inch in length ; the head and horns are 
of a brownifli colour ; the mouth and the infides 
of the larger legs are blueifh; the fhield that co- 
vers the back is greenifh ; the upper fide of the 
body is brown, fpotted with black; and the un- 
der-fide is purplifti. The upper wings are brown, 
with finail duflcy fpots, having a larger one at 
their tips; the under wings are more tranfparent, 
and of a light brown hue tindlured with green ; 
but there is a dark cloud of fpots near their tips. 
Some of thefe Locufts were feen in feveral parts 
of England in 1748, and many dreadful confe- 
quences were apprehended from their appearance. 
Indeed, they have frequently threatened us with 
their vifitations. No fpecies is more formidable 
in thofe countries where bred. They multiply 
almoft beyond conception, if the fun be warm, 
and the foil in which their eggs are depofited dry 
and genial. Happily for us, the coldnefs of our 
climate, and the humidity of our foil, are by no 
means favourable to their production ; and as they 
are the creatures but of one year, they only vific 
us, and die away. 
Locust, Tonciuinese. This fpecies is about 
the thicknefs of a man's finger, and as long as 
the firft joint. The Tonquinefe Locufts breed 
in low grounds; and, in the months of January 
and February, they iffue from the earth in prodi- 
gious fwarms. At firft they can fcarcely fly, for 
that 
