Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1843-06-29
III T. II A ID OF TIL 4 les.

els with three caplllariss on hairs; which
they extend over the surface of the root,
aud merely take up the rxudalIon above
mentioned, and this is their only food a,
any period of their lives. Even the full
grown insect takes its food in the sam.
way. The young insect is so small d
can scarcely he seen by the naked eye
After having descended into the GROUND
they renInin there until their advent
seventeen years afterwards. The locus
is greedily sought after by all sorts @
birds, and hogs from the first time they
'lcavc the ground and The young insect
Is pursued with equal avidily by rats
and other devourers of insects as soon as
they leave the egg.
IL ought 10 be stated that this insoc. is
moi property called locust. There IS
an insect OF an entirely diiicrenl charac-
I ter that has borne that name for more
than thousand years VIZ. the Egyp-
tian loc.-t, aud several other insects OF
the same genus. The locust properly
so called) Is n grasshopper, resembling
our large grasshoppers in all respects. -
Our locust possesses not one feature
belonging TO the true locust. How IL
d,culous is il, then, for US To give name
TO an entirely different one for ages -
The proper name for our insect is tetti-
gonna septennicim. As it is unqucsiiona-
hly the most interesting insect Of the
world, or AT least that has yet been dis
covered, | think we should give it n
new name, and not inlrude it upon a com
pany where it cannot by any possibility
be welcome guest, und wherein il,
loses all The claims to distinction that its
natural character is entitled to.
II IS not possible TO ii i've full dcscrip-
lIon oi the insect in newspaper without
the aid Of drawings. Ii is ii very curi-
Gus insect in many respects. As to it's
peculiar character, requiring seventeen
years for maturity, can say nothing. =
So far AS | know, and ] have taken
pains to inform myself, this is peculiar 10
this insect Na,uruIsis make no men
ton iany other with Il similar habit. -
Then, again, AS To It's appearing in fami-
lies or communities IN different parts
"i our country in different years. How
wonderfully strange is this How can
II be accounted ior Dare we presume
to eNplain it 4? That it is so, | know
and all may know bv little attention To
The subject
Ii will be seen that ] have indicated
The localities Of sixteen distinct districts
oi the country in which these insects ap-
peared in different years, or il any two
"' more IN the same year, widely sepa-
rated from each other, and have 10
doubt there are others that have moi
discovered, sufficient, to cause the advent
o' The insect IN some portion of the con.
lincni every year. | have often thought
II was most beautiful natural emblem uI
our republican institutions, or rather a
natural indication Of the peculiar polit-
cal geographical divisions into which our
nation shouid be parti,ioned. 1t has
been suggested that the difference Of
climate was The cause of their appearing |
it the South one time and at The North 4
1t another bat this canEot be so, because
hey dppear the same year in Maryland
md Pennsylvania, and in Mississippi I;
n Massachusetts and Kentucky in
ieorgia and Illinois But must have
h''gurd both you and your readers by
his tedious essay. Should any of your
eaders desire more perlec, account OF
his extrao,dinary insect can send them
pamphlet published in 1894, with
'late representing the insect in all It's
stages of existence, the price of which,
wing to the cost Of the plates, is one
loHar tor hro copies, which should be
'enl free of postage by applicants.
Wi! editors and pos,gasters do me the
nvor of Informing me of the appearance
II the locust, whenever and wherever it /
nay appear : IL all will do SO it will
'nable me TO inform the public of the
'xact time of their appearance, and o:
he number Of districts, and their boun-
laries. |.
GIDEON b. SMITH, NJ. d.
Baltimore.