31 6 
LOCUST. 
into the sea by a tempestuous north-west wind, and 
were afterwards cast upon the beach, where, it is 
said, they formed a bank of three or four feet high, 
which extended from the mouth of the Bosjesmans 
river, to that of the Beeka, a distance of near fifty 
English miles ; and it is asserted, that when this 
mass became putrid, and the wind was at south- 
east, the stench was sensibly felt in several parts of 
Sneuwberg. Fortunately they were driven thus to 
sea before they had deposited their eggs in the 
ground. The larvae, at the same time, were emi- 
grating to the northward. The column of these im- 
perfect insects passed the houses of two of our party, 
who assured me that it continued moving forwards 
without any interruption, except by night, for more 
than a month. The gryllivori * in myriads were 
close at their heels, and departed along with them, 
devouring them as they proceeded; since which, till 
the present year, not oie of this species of bird was 
to be found in the country .” 
Swarms of locusts have ravaged the different parts 
of the world from the earliest time to the present 
day ; and the aeras in which they have appeared, 
have been recorded by several authors ; particularly 
by Aldrovandus, in whose works the times of their 
appearance have been carefully noticed. 
The larger species of locusts are used as food by 
the inhabitants of the East, and are publicly sold in 
the markets. Although the edible sort are six times 
* Locust-eating thrush. 
