The morning call., 1894-04-15

Swarms Of butterflies have been noticed
in various parts of the world. In 1926
column ten or fifteen feet wide and of
great length was seen In Switzerland. But
perhaps the most remarkable record was
that observed in South America by Sir
Robert Schauburgh. They were in such
numbers that they actually dimmed the
light of the sun and gave everything a
yellow hue. For nine and a half hours
this vast column moved by given point. an
estimate Of its numbers being impossible.
In California migratlOns OF graSShOppers
have been known, and especially in the in
tercontinental region, where the entire
country has been overrun by them. These
invasions, however, are nothing compared
to those of Europe and Africa. In Russ ia
the pilgrimage of the locust means starva-
tion to the peasants in its path. In 1925
the provinces between Odessa and Kiev
were completely devastated, the army
being so vast that the inhabitants were
driven from their houses. The insects ap-
peared al first as a vast cloud. which dark
ened the sun as night, then it dropped
upon the earth. covering everything with
living, crawling cloak, often 10 depth of
four or five feet. The noise of their
wings was like that of gale
rushing through the rigging of vessel.
The entire crop was destroyed, and
people began to starve. Finally an appeal
was made to the Emperor, who ordered
out an army of 10000 men with shovels.
bags and various implements to fight the
common enemy. The horses cpuld hardly
drag carts through the mss. The insects
were shOveled up into heaps. buried and
burned, but there was no diminutinn in
their numbers. the governments of Ekat-
eriDburg and Kerson for hundreds OF miles
to the Black Sea being solid with them to
depth of nearly two feet This continued
for months aud resulted in terrible
famine, whilethe gruesome appearance of
the clouds of locuSts in the air terrified
many persons so that they died.
Innumerable forms of insects migrate,
as caterpillars, ants and beetles. Several
years ago the writer observed migration
of worms in the city OF New Bedford. In
two days they had completely covered the
city, eating everything they could find.
When ditch was reached they simply
poured in like water. Some residents
saved their lawns by surrounding them
with bitches filed with tar water, which
was protection; but IN, some cases they
filled the ditch and crawled over the dead
bodies of their kind.
The viii ants of Ceylon are famous for
their wanderings in large bodies which eat
their way into houses under cover OF tun-
nels, so that a house may become merely a
shell without the occupants knowledge.
An instance of this was seen in Ceylon
where an entire house suddenly fell In
pieces, the various planks and timbers
having been completely undermined by the
insects.
The instinct of migration often seiZeS
other animals. as mice. At times Ger tain
portions of Africa have been covered with
them, their sudden appearance being to-
tally unexplainable. In Norway and
Sweden there is little animal known as
the lemming that has a habit of making
pilgrimages to some Mecca of low life.
They suddenly begin movement and tens
of thousands are seen pressing on, driving
all before them. When a stream is met
the Jennings pour in and are drowned in
vast numbers, some making the opposite
shore. Often they come to the open SEA,
where they move on aud are finally lost.
A migration of this kind has been known
to continue three years.
Los Angeles, April 10.