GRYLLUS. 
419 
sad filled them with water ; in vain they colkclecl large 
rows of heath, ftubble, and other combuftible matter to 
fet them on fire on the approach of the locufts. The 
trenches were foon filled, and the fires extinguiftied by 
the immenfe fwarms that fucceeded each other. 
The locufts which are thus adive in their larva date, 
remain only about a month in that form ; after having 
completed their growth, they call that Ikin which gave 
them their vermicular fhape ; and, in order to prepare 
themfelves for this transformation, they autach their hind 
legs to fome twig, where, after l'ome laborious efforts, 
and feveral undulating motions, they at laft buift tne Ikni : 
at firft, the head only appears, but toon after the reft of 
the body is difengaged, the whole operation continuing 
only for feven or eight minutes; After catling their co- 
vering they remain for a little in a languifhing Hate, till 
the air hardens their wings, and the heat of the fun a- 
gain invigorates them, when they refunie their former 
voracious habits, with an increafe both of ftrength and a- 
gility *. 
In fome parts of the world the inhabitants convert 
what fo generally is confidered as a plague, to an advan- 
tage, by making the locufts an article of food. It is for 
this purpofe, that in many parts of the eslt they are 
caught in fmall nets, which are conftru&ed for entang- 
ling them. When a fufficient quantity is thus procured, 
they are roafted over the fire in an earthen pan till the 
■wings and legs drop off : when thus prepared they are 
reckoned tolerable food, and are faid to tafte like cray- 
fiftif. 
In T onquia nets are ufed in dragging afpecies of them 
out of the rivers, into which they frequently fall from their 
3 G 2 unwieldiaefs 
* Dr. Shaw’s traveh. 
f Dampicr’s voyages. 
