The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1860-06-28
The Seventeen year Eocusf.

Editors OF the Evening Journal
As these periodical visitants are now in
this vicinity, making their public exhibition
at the termination of their regular cycle, will
YOU permit one who has given some little
study to their past history, a little space in
which to call attention to the many points of
interest that surround and attend themg
1t is not little singular, that, although
Their period OF return is as certain and as
easily calculated as any Astronomical fact,
vet very few persons really know anything
of their real habits, either above or below the
surface of the earth, and it is yet, in the
newspaper world, an unsettled question
whether it is fact that they do complete
their period in precisely seventeen years. |
think that the cause for any doubt that may
exist relative to this fact exists in the corcla-
tive to this fact that there are several fami-
lies of the same people, one of which made
its appearance in Eastern New York and
New Jersey in the summer of 1S43, and is
now by that invariable law of its being, again
present extending along the counties on the
west bank of the Hudson, but in no case
crossing the river, unless by the accident OF
winds, few struggling females might have
been carried over, in which case, if their eggs
were deposited in twigs on the east side,
corresponding number of locusts would this
year be making their appearance in the same
localities.
Persons who Travelled to any extent
through the counties | have mentioned,
during 1S43, win certainly remember the
dead and apparently fred appearance of
young trees and shrubery that lined the west
bank OF the Hudson in the month of Augurt
all of which was the work ofthe female grub,
called, by long usage, thelocust, although by
nothing in its anatomy or habits, at all rela-
led to the family of cieadae, to which belong
the different kinds of grasshopper in Ameri
ca and the great destructive horseheaded To-
Gust of Africa.
The male and female of our locast each
possess individual points Of interest very.
dissimilar, but each worthy Of the obserya-
ton of those who take interest in the Won
ders Of nature. Ii is the male only who
siaqs, as ii is called, but whichis more prop
crly termed drums, as the noise which is pro-
duced by them, and which it is worth a
long ride to hear, where they are numerous
tits produced by Muscular action upon two
drums, one placed under each wing BY a
singular construction of its prectoral muscle
a single full-sized male is capable Of produc-
ing tones that can be distinguished for near
Iy one fourth of mile; and | remember
an instance, when riding with friend by a
wood where they were unusually numerous
that we were compelled to raise our voices,
and then but with difficulty could heareach
others conversation.
When the insects are sitting on conyen-
lent twig, the action Of these drums con be
examined. with or without a magnifcr, and
the volume of tone and rapidity of vibration
which the spectator is thus enabled to wit
ness, cannot fail to excite his wonder.
But it is the female, from the sngularity
other construction, as an illustration OF the
wonderful adoption ofmeans to an end which
nature sometimes gives US, and from the
destruction which she causes TO young fruit
and ornamental trees, that demands the
more careful examination. And here it may
be observed, parenthetically, that the main
object of the appearance Of these creatures
above ground, is the perpetuatlon OF theil
species. Their life is exclusively subterran
can. Above ground they never eat. Nei
thcr male nor female have any. mouth, mo-
am | sure that they have an oriiice oianN