The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1855-08-01

'eeS, "nere u remains Tor years maturing;
but this y . mistake. The egg is hatch
ed by the action of the sap and the heat
OF the sun; and as soon as the young at
tain their growth in the grub state they
fall to the ground and make their way
beneath its surface. Natural science tells
us that "they 90 down to the depth of
three or more feet" where they undergo
their change into the pupa state, soon
after which they aspear in large numbers
above the earth as described above.
That it should require seventeen years
to effect this change, is remarkable; but
thatit is so is established beyond doubt.
They will always pierce the ground, no
matter how hard it may be, where trees
were standing seventeen years before.
The noise they produce proceeds from the
male, and not the female as many sup-
pose. she has other business to attend to,
she has to propagate her species by hard
labor True when she flies she makes n
sort Of clatteripg noise, but quite different
from the male. The female is smaller
than the male and of a darker hue.
The noise they produce is remarkably
piercing, though not unpleasant, and va
ries, according TO the age Of the locust, the
state Of the atmosphere, and the time Of
day. In passing through the forest to
my work, (for it appears I am doomed to
follow the plow, and 1 would not want
any better fun) could distinctly h, ,ar
them.abov the rattle Of chains, and clat-
ter Of the horses feet, and the rumblinp
Of my wagon. They produce one pro-
long sound which dies away, and seems
to end with an o. Some say this is a
call for Pha-ri-oh, but this is all in NV
eye. Some say, in connection with this,
they stay here forty days and forty nights;
but this is all moonshine. The noise
they produceis is mover made by the mouth
as many suppose, but by instruments sit.
uated on each side of the base Of the ab.
domen, each Of which is covered by n
kind Of cartiiaginous lamina. Attached
is plated membrane called q, drum,
which is acted on by powerful muscle.
The muscle is powerfully contracting and
relaxing, acts on the drum and thus pro-
duces the noise. 1t is said, in the seven.
teen years locust, the muscle is so power
ful that the sound On be heard for mile
or more. The drum Is Of a white appear.
ance, any one can discover it that wishes
to do so. BY piercing the drum with a
needle or any sharp instrument the locust
is rendered mute or silent. The letter w
appears on each wing. The ignorant and
superstitious say that this letter means
when interpreted, war and want. They
also say that some years the letter p ap
!ears instead, and his means peace anS
plenty; but thia u mere smoonshine
Something like w may be found on tn,
wing of beetle or bat, but we neve,
dream Of attributing either war or wan
to any such cause. Sure we are that tn
locust we have described will never brin,
any such direful calamity upon ms. Of
the contrary, they destroy nothing, an,
are the favorite food Of various animal:
immense numbers are destroyed by III
hogs, squirrils and birds. No farmer wa
bothered with the crows pulling up hi
corn this year, the reason was they fe
upon the locust. Squirrels seize .aud d,
vour them with great eagerness, and b,
come exceedingly fat on them, while th
Indians, like the ancient Egyptians an
Jews, regarded then, rs a delicate an
superior article Of food. So no one nee
apprehend any more danger Of starvin
by war or famine the locust year than an
other. All such ideas and notions are
hea,henish origin; but, ike many 9th,
superstitio,s traditions, are fast fadin
away before the light Of reason and &C
ence, and ultimately will be numbered
mong the things that were, or regarded
different light to what they are no,
Hitherto my communications to the lie,
+ ger have been signed Henry, and as the
has been a good deal Of enquiry WI
Henry is, We would only ssy it is no bod
more or less than,
n HENRY NJ. JENNINGS.