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

year; and those OF another that appeared
a year after coming up next year and
so on.
The habits Of the locust are as follows
by shaving off an inch of the soil, from
the 1st to the 10th Of April, or any time
before the goth of May, in any place
where trees &C., grew in 1884, you will
open the chambers of the locusts. They
look like half-Inch auger holes. Dig
down, and you will find one locust in
the hole. This hole or chamber is
place wherein he prepares himself for
his final appearance in the perfect state.
During night, and in cold or wet wealth
er, he is at the bottom Of the hole, 8 to
- inches deep; IN The middle of the day
he is at the top, evidently preparing to
slough the shell or skin. The walls and
top of the chamber are made water proof
by peculiar viscd humor.
About the 90 of May, day or two
earlier or later, according to the weather,
they will begin to leave the ground.
You will see their old she'll adhering to
the bark of a tree or shrub. But few
will be found the first day, more the Sec
ond, and so on, increasing in numbers
till about the 9th of May, when the
greatest numbers will appear, and then
in less numbers thereafter till about the
9TH OF June, when no more will leave
! the earth.
When they come up from the earth
always about daylight or little before
they Immediately climb the first OBJ
Ject they meet with, tree, or bush, or
stake, any thing, two or three feet. They
then lay hold of the bark, fixing them
selves firmly by their claws, and COM
mence working themselves out of their
old shell, which is done by rupturing it
on the back, between the shoulders, and
drawing themselves out. AS soon as
they get fairly out, they seize hold of
the old she'll with their claws, raise them
selves, and begin to expand their wings.
Their bodies and wings at this time are
exceedingly delicate, white and moist;
but few minutes exposure to the air
dries and hardens them, so that by the
time the sun is fairly risen, they are per-
feet, aud can fly. The wings before
sloughing are beautifully folded up, and
it is a beautiful sight to see them unfold
ed, and in a few minutes changed from
the most soft and delicate tissue, to firm
and rugged wing of the perfect insect.
If it be wet or very cloudy day, they
are very apt to perish in the operation of
sloughing and drying.
About the 18th of June they COM
mence depositing their eggs. This is a
very interesting sight. You willse one
attached to limb or twig, and it will
not fly away as you approach. Look
closely, and you will see it excavating a
hole in the limb with its curious ovipos-
ltor.-W atch it closely, and as soon as
1t has inserted the ovipositor completely
into the limb, take hold of the insect
and gently but quickly draw it forwards,
and apply the point of the ovipositor to
the palm of the hand, when you will see
two eggs elected into your hand in quick
succession. They de post two eggs at
each insertion of the ovipositor, and gen.
orally five to ten pairs in each place on
the limb. She then goes to other places
on the same limb, or to some other limb,
and repeats the operation, till she has
laid about 400 eggs. The eggs are white,
or pearl color, about the 18th of an inch
long, and about one 9th as thick as they
are long. 1t is this operation that dcs-
troys the small limbs, the excavations
cutting off the sap vessels. The time of
depositing the eggs continues till about
the Goth Of June, when they cease. All
kinds Of trees and shrubs are selected by
them for their deposits, except pines, or
other turpentine trees. They do not
seem to select the hardest nor the most
soft wood, but that which is about the
size of their bodies or less, seems to be
chosen; the operation requiring them to
grasp the sides OF the limb with their
claws, which they could not do so well
if the limbs were large. By grasping
firmly with their claws, they are able to
make great pressure upon the point of
ovipositor, and thus effect their object.
From the 1st to the Goth of June, all
shrnbbery of value should be protected,
either by carefully covering it with
cheap gauze, or in the case of pot plants,
by keeping them in the house.
About the 25th of July the eggs will
be ready to hatch. Then take limb
containing them, cut carefully till you
expose the eggs, and then take them
out, place them in the palm of the hand,
and they will hatch in few minutes.
The little insect frees himself from the
g-shell precisely in the same way that
the large one did in the spring, by rup-
turing the she'll on his back. AS soon
as he is fairly out of the shell he starts
off briskly in search of food.-Let him
get to the ground and you will see him
work his way into It; follow him, and