The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-08-23
The GrasshOpper Scientifically Treated.

The people of Kansas have unlimited opportu-
mites tor the study OF the domestic habits OF the
of these pests in that State. Hence the peculiar
balm Of the following treatise from the Topeka
J Conmo"reaM will he fully appreciated:
The grasshopper is an ort opterous insect OF
the Gryttus rWgo'is spec es, descendant of the
great grasshopper known in England as the
t'ridissjna"s. We believe we hazard nothing in
saying that s'the subject of our sketch :" is
everything that its horrid app llation indicates
a bug with so much Greek and Latin III its name
cannot be anything but horrid. And YET We are
| told that the Gj,Vius rnigG,1s is mere play
thing i'll comparison with its great English ances-
| tor, ciidissih,as. The latter can destroy an
| elghty-acrc field while the former is getting up
! an appetite.
| We had intended presenting in this issue life
! size photograph, or Srassotype, of GiyHus, but
| upon reelection we have concluded that it would
| be useless expense. as most OF our readers are
already familiar with his general caste of counte-
| nance. 1t will he noticed that this grass-ating,
| or grass-eating, individual has four joints to
each foot-a sort OF leg qllartette-each joint
being as long as Theodore TitOns hair Conse-
quently, when he assemblies in Joint convention,
every precinct is sure to be represented. No
proxies are allowed, and GtWlus is therefore
| never admitted. unless he comes himself.
Although his wings are transparent, we have
never heard anybody accuse him of being too
thn. When his wings are opened for business
they take up as much room womans hat at
a theatre; but when not in active use they ars
folded mp longitudinaly like japanese fam
Giy}uS possesses very fine head the features
being about expressive as a Chinese nut
cracker; his nose is Of the aqucline order. with
an independent respiratory apparatus. which is
used as sort Of weather barometer. His teeth
are well developed and very sharp: each grass
hopper carries a bottle Of Sozodont in his side
pocket, and owing to their excellent preservation
he is rarely called upon to secede from OF his
mola1s: his jaws know nothing of the joys of
toothache, and there ism. Gj'yF,s in Kansas or
tu'fd,sstntos in England that can look dentist
square III tne face without blushing.
These insect-cannibals are very regular in their
habits. only eating one meal day commencing
at A. NJ, md continuing until the hour OH
the following morning. Their principal article
OF diet Is -ifrhsntte'ium drenoccunl. which in
vulgar parlancc means grass. Ii the grass
crop happens TO be little short they can easily
accommodate themselves to the situation by
eating corn, and when they tackle u field of
growing maize. the owner also grows amazed |
and demands the appointment Of a receiver in
bankruptcy.
The above are some of the peculiaritie> of the |
Srasshoppers farm, where they can |
be studied with much prolific everybody ex- |
cept the farmer. In the city where the grass |
hoppers have pre-empted the front yards, and |
alnnse themselves by turning hand-springs run
ming foot-races and playing croquet the scene is |
entirely different, and the GJy1uses and young |
tiridissin,usSes show to much better advantage |