The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1851-05-17

tons can only be made with good mag
nifying glass. By the aid of the glass
you will see the young insect has every
feature and member precisely the same
as the large one had when he came from
the ground in the spring. By carefully
watching, you will see the young insect
coming out of the ground. You can
sometimes see great numbers falling
from high trees. They are like little
notes in the air, and require sharp sight
to see them. They are SO small, and
their apparent specific gravity SO infe-
rior that they are not injured by the fall.
About the 25th of June the old locusts
will have disappeared altogether.
The locusts do not 60 deep in the
ground.-They live upon the vegetable
juices Of the roots near the surface,
which they take with their shouts or
rostrum. There are three small hairs
in the snout, which, in feeding, are pro-
jected and spread out over the surface
of the roots or leaves of trees, and these
collect the juice and convey it by ca
plllary attraction to the stomach. You
can see this operations very distinctly in
the perfect insect, by watching it with
magnifying glass. They have no other
mouth or means Of taking food either in
the larva or winged state.
The OvIPosIToR is a most curious in
strument. 1t is about three eighths of
an inch long, of the size Of small pin,
dattencd at the point, and the whole
forming a moderate curve. 1t is COM
posed of a material very much resemb-
ling TORTOISE shell, of dark redish brown
color. 1t is composed of three pieces, a
centre piece which is the tube or duct,
and two side pieces. The centre piece
or tube, has a very sharp chissel-tormed
point, with two sharp projecting points,
one above the other below the orihce,
resembling fsh's mouth. The two sides
pieces are supplied with saw teeth on
their edges, and their fat faces are rasps.
They are attached to the centre piece by
tongue and groove. In use the centre
piece is fixed firmly to the bark, and
the two side pieces commence working
up and down, first one and then the 9TH
er, alternately, and thus the excavation
is made. All this however can only be
seen with the aid of powerful magni-
flying glass. On looking at the instru-
ment with the naked eye no such mech
ansm would be suspected.
The Musical ORGANS are also very
curious, and difficult to describe. Direct
ly under the shoulder of the wing on
each side of the chest there is a heauti-
full membrane, somewhat triangular,
convex, and ribbed with bony ridges.
This membrane resembles small she'll
and is stretched over a cavity in the
chest, the lower angle connected inter-
nally with strong muscle. On the
breast there are two large scales, one on
each side, firmly attached to the breast
above, but free below. On bending the
body backwards these scales are elevat-
ed and expose two large cavities, also
covered with extremely fine and silk Like
membranes. These cavities are con-
nected with those under the musical
membranes under the wing shoulders,
and probably serve for lungs. When
these cavities are filled with air, the mu-
steal organs or membranes first descrlb-
ed, are made TO produce the sound by
the large muscles; the bony ridges of the
membranes being made to act upon each
other with such rapidity that the motion
is scarce y perceptible.
The music, song, or sound, produced
by the myriads of insects in warm day
from about the 25th of May to the mid
die of June, is wonderful. 1t is not deaf
ening, as many describe it,-cven in its
height it does not interrupt ordinary
conversation. 1t seems like an atmos.
phere Of wild mopotonous sound, in
which all other sounds float with perfect
distnctness. | never could distinguish
anything like the word 'Pharoah in
these sounds. After you have become
sati SIZED with the novelty of this music,
which will be in day or two, it becomes
exceedingly tiresome and doleful, and
to many disagreeable. 10 me it was
otherwise, and when | heard the last
note on the 25th of June, the melancholy
reflection occurred-shall | live to hear
it again :!
Probably the first indication many
persons will have of the apl roach Of the
locusts, will be the industry with which
they will find the hogs roofing up the
ground in April, in the woods and fields.
1t is great festival for them.-And as
soon as the insects appear above ground,
chickens, turkeys, and all poultry will
also have the feast. So fond are the
fowls, birds, pigs, &C., Of these insects,
that they will scarcely touch other food
during the locust season.--Ths has re.
markable effect on all hens eggs laid af-
ter the locusts appear-their yolks are
nearly white. The chickens become
very fat, and of fine flavor. Even the
little wren will be seen fying off with