The independent. (Harrisonburg, La.) 1853-18??, 1858-05-26


are generally termed, have made their APP
pearanee in this parish within the last fort
night, and the woods are now ringing daily
with their incessant music, which, though
monotinous, is not unpleasant, from its some
what pIaintive tone and its shrill, humming
sound. The character and habits Of this
remarkable insect, have engaged the atten-
ton Of naturalists for many years past. 1t
appears that this species Of Grylus, is not
known to the old world, and that it is pecul-
lar to North America. At least, we find no
mention of it in works, that treat fully Of the
various kinds of Locusts known on the other
continents, and published as late as eighteen
hundred and nineteen. So far as observa-
tons have extended, it seems probable that
they appear pretty regularly at intervals Of
seventeen years, though this is not fully es-
tablshed. 1t may yet turn out, that they
recur alternately at periods of seventeen, and
five, six, seven, or eight years. In Mississippi
and Louisiana, they appeared in 1916, again
! in 1888, and afterwards in 1871; a period
Of only eight years intervening. No appea-
rance of them we think was noticed between
1916 and 1888, nor between ls41 and the
present year. 1t would be well worth the
attention Of those curious in these matters,
F, to observe closely whether the next recur-
renee in this region, is not at shorter inter-
val than seventeen years.
This species of Locust we believe, has not
generally been found destructive of vegita-
ton to any formidable extent. Widely diff
ferent in this respect are they from the
Gryl!us Migraiorious or Travelling Locust Of
Linneieus, which, Of all the insects capable
Of injuring mankind, seems to possess the
most dreadful powers Of destruction. We
subjon short extract from work Of high
credit, which will give some idea Of the raw
ages of the Egyptian Locust. 1t may be
remarked, that swarms Of this insect consti-
tutcd one Of the plaques invoked by Moses
upon Pharoah, thus alluded to by Milton in
one Of his grand comparisons:
Gas when the potent rod,
OF Abrams son, in Egypts evil day,
Wav'd round the coast, up called pitchy cloud
OF Iocusts, Wrapping the Eastern wind
That DER the realm of impious Pharoah hung
Like night, and darken'd all the land of Nile
"The ravages Of locusts in various parts
Of the world at different periods are recorded
by numerous authors. In the year 500 of
the Christian era, after great drought, these
animals appeared in such vast legions as to
cause famine in many countries. In CIT
Syria and Mesopotamia were overrun by
them. In $50 immense swarns took their
flight from the Eastern regions into the West,
flying with such sound that they might
have been mistaken for birds: they destroyed
all vegetables not sparing even the bark of
trees and the thatch Of houses and devoured
the corn SO rapidly, as to destroy on compu-
tation, a hundred and forty acres day
their daily marches or distances of flight
were computed at twenty miles; and these
were regulated by leaders or kings, who
flew first, and settled npon the spot which
was to be visited at the same hour the next
day by the whole legion: these marches
were always undertaken at sunrise. These
locusts were at length driven by the force of
winds into the DcIgic Ocean, and being
thrown back by tie tide and left on the shores,
caused dreadful pestience by their smell.
In 1871, all the corn fields of Milan were
destroyed and in the year 1889 all those of
Lombardy. In l54l, incredible hosts atilic-
ted Poland, WaIlacha, and all the adjoining
territories, darkening the sun with their
numbers, and ravaging all the fruits of the
earth"