NATURAL HISTORY: a 
they proceed forward acrofs the fea, and thus come into Europe, where 
they alight upon the firft green pa(tures that occur. 
In fome parts of the world, the inhabitants turn what feems a plague 
to their own advantage. Locufts are eaten by the natives in many 
kingdoms of the ealt; and are caught in fmall nets provided for that 
Purpofe. They:parch them over the fire in an eatthen pan; and when, 
their wings and. legs are fallen off, they turn reddith, of the colour of 
oiled {krimips. Dampier has eat them thus prepared; and thinks them 
- tolerable difk. The natives.of Barbary alfo eat them fried with falt 5 
and they are faid to talte like cray-fith. 
There is a locuft in Tonquin, about the bignefs of the top of a man’s 
finger, and as long as the firft joint. It breeds in the earth, in low. 
Srounds; and in the months of January and February, which is the 
feafon for taking them, they iffue from the earth in vatt fwarms. At 
firg they can hardly fly, fo that they often fall into the rivers in great 
humbers: however, the natives in thefe months watch the rivers, and 
. take them up in multittides in fmall nets. They either eat them frefh, 
broiled on the coals, or pickle them for keeping. They are confidered 
4s a great delicacy in that part of the world, as well by the rich as the 
Poor, In the countries where they are eaten, they are regularly brought 
to market; and fold as larks or quails in Europe. They muft have 
een a common food with the Jews, as Mofes, in the book of Leviti- 
Cus, permits them to eat four different kinds of this animal, which he 
takes care to fpecify. This difh, however, has not yet made its way 
into the kitchens of the luxurious in Europe: and though we may ad- 
ihire the delicacies of the Eat; we are as yet happily deprived of the 
Power of imitation. : 
_ Of all animals, however, of this noxiows tribe, the Great Weft-Indianl 
ocult, individually éonfidered; is the moft formidable. It is about 
the thicknefs of the barrel of a goofe-quill, and the body is divided in- 
to nine or ten joints, in the whole about fix or feven inches long. It 
as two fmall eyes, ftanding out of the head like thofe of crabs, and, 
two feelers like long hait. “he whole body is ftudded with fmall ex- 
tefcences, which are not much bigger than the points of pins. The 
fhape is rotundifh, and the body diminifhes in circumference to the tails 
Which is forked into two horns. Between thefe, there is a fort of a 
eath containing a fmall dangerous fting. If any perfon happens to 
Such this infed che is fure to be ftung ; and is immediately taken with a 
: Wering and trembling all over the body ; which; however, may foon 
© put a flop to, by rubbing the place that was affected with a litte 
Palm oi]. ee 
Niehoff informs us, that in the Ea/- Indies there are Grafshoppers and 
Ocufts of feveral kinds, one of which is as long as a man’s finger, but 
No thicker than a goofe quill. The body is diftinguifhed into feverak 
Joints, and they have fix feet, with two fmall horas or feelers. Other 
~Ocufts have brown wings, with a yellow belly, and two feelers, and 
they can leap a gréat way. They are likewife feen flying together in 
Sreat fwarms. here is another fort, of the fame fhape, but greens 
and of the length of a man’s fingers but they come in fuch prodigi- 
us fwarms, that they devour every thing that is green in the places 
Where they fettle; infomuch that the inhabitants of Buravia are often’ 
*bliged to change their habitations, for want of their ufual fultenance- 
: ke 
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