nothing, for when we were to eat, those creatures gave us no respite; and when we went to cut a bit of meat, we cut a locust with it; and when a man opened his mouth to put in a morsel, he was sure to chew one of them.

"I have seen them at night, when they sit to rest them, that the roads were four inches thick of them, one upon another; so that the horses would not trample over them, but as they were put on with much lashing, pricking up their ears, snorting, and treading very fearfully. The wheels of our carts, and the feet of our horses, bruising those creatures, there came from them such a stink, as not only offended the nose, but the brain. I was not able to endure that stench, but was forced to wash my nose with vinegar, and hold a handkerchief dipped in it continually at my nostrils. The swine feast upon them as a dainty, and grow fat; but nobody will eat of them so fattened, only because they abhor that sort of vermin, that does them so much harm, Beauplan's Hist. Ukraine, Gent. Mag.

DESCRIPTION OF THE LOCUST OF 1748.

"This insect in form nearly resembles a grasshopper; it hops and flies in the same manner, but is more robust, of a different colour, and has four large wings, like those of the pond keeper or horse stinger: they are transparent and brown, divided into panes by a small black line, and their texture is very elastic; the wings of one, whose body was two inches and an half in length, being extended, measured five inches from point to point; some have been taken of a much larger size. The body is scaly, the head large, and the face streaked with brown and white; the eyes are very bright, and of an hazle colour. It has jaws on each side, which open and shut horizontally, of a black, hard, horny substance, which, when opened, discover a tongue like a small-seed French bean; they are round like a pair of pincers, meeting with great exactness, and are not keen but blunt. Over these jaws where they meet, it lets fall a thin cover, which it contracts and folds at pleasure, and puts forth a considerable distance from the mouth; and probably this thin substance is of use to draw toward it blades of grass, or any other thing which it eats of a yielding nature. A horsefly being put into a phial to one of these locusts, was devoured by it in a short time, Gent. Mag. 1748, p. 364.

"Numbers of locusts, discovered the hot sultry day before in clouds, by the help of optic glasses, were found in St. James's park, and places adjacent. It is further to be noted that it feeds itself with its fore claws, like a squirrel, and its ordure is long, and when first voided red like coral. It having been sometimes mentioned as a creeping, and sometimes as a flying insect, we find by Shaw's Travels that it is both. The upper wings seem only for a covering to the un

der, which, expanded, are as broad as the body is long. They sometimes eat one another. Friday, July 5, Gent. Mag. p. 377.

"It is surprising to observe with what quickness they devour cabbage leaf, lettuce, or other herbage. In the field, they fly, and dart as swift as the swallow, though not far at a time. And in very windy, or rainy weather, are more dull, and sooner caught. Charlton indeed, in his Exercitationes de differentiis et nominibus animalium, and Insectorum Coleopterorum Classis, or Class of the sheath wing species, p. 45. mentions a locust brought by Mouffet from Barbary, five inches long, of the cucullated kind, with a pyramidal head, and, almost on the top, two little broadish erect horns, near an inch in length, representing the lofty double Turkish plumage, worn by the Janizaries, Gent. Mag. p. 365.

Breslau, Aug. 22. "Another swarm of these devouring creatures came from Patchkau to Ober Schreibendorff, where they fell upon two gardens, and ruined every thing in them. As they were a little straitened in their quarters, they laid one upon another in heaps, to the height of one's knee, and being driven from thence, they ate up all the grass in the meadows, and even all the rushes and reeds about the village of Deutsch Jeckel; from thence they continued their flight to Hoben Giersdorff, where they have destroyed several fields of buckwheat. All the fruits of the earth that are not got in, as well as the grass, reeds, and in short every green thing, is totally destroyed. They tried at first to drive them away with poles, but to no purpose. At length somebody very luckily thought of beating a drum, upon which they immediately took flight, but settled soon after upon the trees in the forest, from whence they were driven by the same means. They made their retreat by Arnsterberg, and then passed through the county of Glatz into Bohemia, where they have committed dreadful devastations on the lands of count Wallis. These insects are about the length of one's finger, and of all colours, gray, green, yellow, black, red, and brown. Some people pretend to say, that each of these bands has a captain, of a most enormous size; this is certain, that they leave behind them an intolerable stench.

Ib. Aug. 30. "The dreadful plague of locusts spreads more and more. It is observed, that the several swarms, which have lighted on divers districts, are only detachments from the grand body, to which, after foraging awhile to the right and left, they repair. You cannot conceive the noise made by those insects, as well in their flight, as when they rest on the ground. The 25th the main body took their flight toward the town of Brieg, forming a cloud of several miles in length and breadth, and darkening the sun wherever they passed, so that at a small distance travellers could not descry the town. Their flight was low, and great

numbers lodged on the roofs of houses, and on the ramparts; but the greatest part fell upon the fields and the gardens, where they devoured every thing. They sometimes cover the trees so thick, that one cannot see either leaf, twig, or bark. There was a swarm of them at Neudorf, where they remained, numbed with cold, the 26th; but the two days following proving warmer, they revived again, and advanced to Radelweix. Besides the destruction they make every where, they leave a great stench behind them," Gent. Mag. 1748, p. 415.

Such is the general history of the locust swarms, and their devastation: a more particular account of the manners of this creature and its noxious qualities, we shall translate from Rozier's Journal de Physique, Nov. 1786, p. 321, &c. It is furnished by M. Baron, conseiller en la cour des comptes, &c. of Montpellier.

"These insects seek each other the moment they are able to use their wings: after their union, the female lays her eggs in a hole which she makes in the earth and for this purpose, she seeks light, sandy earth, avoiding moist, compact, and cultivated grounds. A Spanish author says, "Should even a million of locusts fall on a cultivated field, not one of them may be expected to lay her eggs in it; but if there be in this space a piece of earth not cultivated, though it be very small, hither they will all resort for that purpose." The sense of smelling is supposed to direct this preference. The eggs lie all winter, till the warmth of spring calls them into life. They appear at first in the form of worms, not larger than a flea, at first whitish, then blackish, at length reddish. They undergo several other changes. According to the heat of the season and situation is the time of their appearance. "I have seen," says the Spanish writer already referred to, " at Almeria millions creep forth in the month of February, because this spot is remarkably forward in its productions. In Sierra Nevada they quit the nest in April; and I have observed that in La Mancha they were not all vivified at the beginning of May." Heat also promotes their numbers; for, if the heat be sufficient, every egg is hatched: not so if cold weather prevails. Dryness favours the production of locusts: for, as this insect deposites its eggs in the ground, enclosed in a bag, and this bag smeared with a frothy white mucus, if the season is wet, this mucus becomes rotten, the ground moistens the eggs, and the whole brood perishes. Eight or ten days rain, at the proper season, is a certain deliverance from the broods committed to the earth.

"There is no doubt on the changes to which the locust is subject. The same animal which appears at first in the form of a worm, passes afterward into the state of a nymph; and undergoes a third metamorphosis by quitting its skin, and becoming a perfect animal, capable of continuing its species. A locust continues in its nymph state 24 or 25 days, more or less, according to the season: when, having ac

quired its full growth, it refrains during some days from eating; and gradually bursting its skin, comes forth a new animal full of life and vigour.

"These insects leap to a height two hundred times the length of their bodies, by means of those powerful legs and thighs, which are articulated near the centre of the body. When raised to a certain height in the air, these insects spread their wings, and are so closely embodied together, as to form but one mass, intercepting the rays of the sun, almost by a total eclipse.

"In the south of France, besides the labours of men to discover the eggs of the locust, about September and October, or in the month of March, they turn in troops of hogs, to the grounds that are suspected of concealing their nests, and these animals, by turning up the earth with their snouts, in search of a food which they are fond of, clear away vast quantities.

"In Languedoc, they dig pits, into which they throw them: great care is necessary in destroying these insects, that they be not hurtful after they are dead. The infection spread by their corrupting carcasses is insupportable. Surius and Cornelius Gemma both, mentioning a prodigious incursion of locusts in 1542, report, that after their death, they infected the air with such a stench, that the ravens, crows, and other birds of prey, though hungry, yet would not come near their carcasses. We have ourselves experienced two years ago the truth of this fact; the pits where they had been buried, after twenty-four hours, could not be passed.

"We should not omit, as a very essential circumstance, that the hunting of these locusts should be engaged in in the morning, the evening, or when the weather is misty. This insect, at those times, does not see equally well; it does not fly so high, and it suffers itself to be approached more closely. M. Gleditch says, locusts rise both faster and higher in clear, warm, dry weather: but, when the air is loaded with vapours, and rain, or if the temperature of it be rather chilly at sunrise, or sunsetting, they are stiff and slow in their motions; they move their wings with greater difficulty, and they are more easily destroyed.

"There are several kinds of locusts: one kind has an appendix at the tail, which serves it as an augur to pierce the earth with: others have not this piercer, but only a very short tail." So far M. Baron.

Let us now consider some of this information more closely. 1st, Heat and dryness are favourable to the increase of locusts. I think, therefore, that when God threatens to bring a plague of locusts over Israel, as in Joel ii. it may imply also a summer of drought. So we read, chap. i. 20. The rivers of water are dried up; the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness and after the removal of this plague, chap. ii. 33. The Lord giveth the former rain moderately. and the latter rain... and will by means, no doubt, of these showers, restore the years that the locust hath

in.

eaten. Indeed if we peruse that chapter attentively, we shall find that our extracts are direct comments on it. We shall compare a few verses. Blow the trumpet... sound an alarm ... let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, as at Teneriffe, when the whole population watched the flying invaders, with the most lively anxiety. A day of darkness and gloominess... of clouds... of thick darkness, as the morning [dews or mists, I suppose] spread on the mountains: "they are like flakes of snow," says one writer, "when they fly, though the sun shines ever so bright, it is no lighter than when most clouded:" "they darken the sun, so that travellers could not descry the town.” A great [rather, a numerous] people and a strong their numbers all our extracts agree The land is as the garden of Eden before them, but behind them a desolate wilderness: "they eat up all sorts of grain, and grass, cabbage leaf, lettuce, blossoms of apple, and crab-trees, and especially the leaves of the oaks, grassy rushes and reeds," yea, and nothing shall escape them. The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; [vide FRAGMENT, No. 44.] Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap. "You cannot conceive the noise made by those insects in their flight." Like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth stubble: "they make a murmuring noise as they eat." Before their face the people shall be much pained... They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war... They shall run to and fro in the city; they shall run upon the wall; they shall climb upon the houses; they shall enter in at the windows like a thief. See what is observed page 332, of "every room being full, and even every dish of meat." But, after the terrible devastation which these ravagers had committed, the Lord calls to repentance: and promises, on the penitential humiliation of his people, to relieve them from this ravager. I will remove far off from you the northern army: and will drive him into a land, barren and desolate, with his face toward the East sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea: and his STINK shall come up and his ILL SAVOUR. It is remarkable, that all our extracts agree in recording the stink and ill savour, of the locust: "they leave behind them an intolerable stench:" "they leave a great stench behind them," and M. Baron gives strict orders concerning the effectual interment of these masses of corruption; observing, "the infection left by their carcasses is insupportable."

The prophet Nahum observes of the locusts, that, they camp in the hedges in the cold day, but when the sun ariseth they flee away. All our extracts agree in the torpid effect of cold, and the invigorating powers of heat on the locust. But, 2dly, there is another remarkable particular which appears to have considerable connection with some things said by us on

Exod. xvi. 13. EXPOSITORY INDEX, vis. that," in the morning, or evening, or in misty weather, locusts do not see equally well, nor fly so high; they suffer themselves to be more closely approached; they are stiff and slow in their motions; and are more easily destroyed." By turning to the passage, the reader will perceive that we considered the word selav as denoting a mist, or fog: and we thought it not impossible that the word selavim might in Numb. xi. 31. express those clouds of locusts, which, we are informed, compose these flying armies. The opposition of two winds was calculated to produce a calm; and a calm to cause a fog; the letting the locusts drop, the gathering them during the evening, all night, and the next morning, appear to agree with these extracts, and our representation; and the fatal effects, verses 33, 34. while the flesh was yet between the teeth of the people, seem to be precisely such as might be expected, from the stench, &c. of the locusts, which they spread all abroad for themselves round about the camp. Could a more certain way of generating a pestilence have been adopted, considering the stench uniformly attributed to them in our extracts, and the malignity attending such an infection as their dead carcasses so exposed must occasion?

3dly, We shall be excused if we allude to what, on a former occasion, we offered in explanation of a passage in Eccles. xii. 5. [FRAGMENT, No. 44,] where an old man is signified by the locust, as incapable of enjoying a certain appetite, yet fully subject to its powThe reason of allegorizing such a character under the figure of a locust, which we then could not determine, may be gathered from a note of M. Baron, which we do not translate.

er.

"Ces insectes sont si fortement joints dans l'accouplement, que les prenant avec la main, ils ne se séparent point. Ils restent ainsi dans la même situation plusieurs heures, les jours et les nuits entières; si vous tentez de les séparer, vous sentez qu'ils font resistance, et ce ne peut être qu'avec effort que vous en venez à bout."

This is a complete vindication of the version adopted by Pagninus, in the passage of Ecclesiastes, and, being drawn from nature, shows how the same notion might be expressed by the same similitude, as well by other observers, as by the sagacious Solomon.

4thly, We read, Rev. ix. of the locusts, that "the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle;" this we have seen explained on the passage in Joel, p. 334. when it is added, "they had tails like unto scorpions, and stings in their tails," we may, I suppose, refer these tails to those piercers with which some kinds of them are furnished, "which they use to pierce the earth; while others have only a very short tail:" so that this particular, which at first seems unnatural, yet is strictly

in nature.

On Levit, xi. 20. we could not tell whether the four Hebrew names of the locust are those of several kinds, or the same kind in its distinct states, it is certain that in its different states the locust receives from the Arabs different names, as, at first Daba, then Gauga, then Jirad, which is their common name, in their perfect state, at Aleppo, says Dr. Russell; nevertheless, we incline to receive them as expressing different kinds; and we learn from our extracts, that there are considerable differences among them.

EXPLANATION OF THE PLATE.

No. 1. On our Plate is the common migratory locust, the arbah of the Hebrew Scriptures, I presume, with its wings expanded in the act of flying. The wings are thin, and beautifully marked. The hind legs are stretched out behind the body.

No. 2. The same locust in the act of creeping: the hind legs thrust out behind, the other legs in front, are also employed in movement.

No. 3. As we have seen in our extracts that some locusts are considerably larger than others, and from thence are suspected to be captains or leaders of the host, we have, on this line, marked the dimensions of what appears to be a very large one, taken from a subject engraved in Denon's Travels in Egypt: a, b, the length of his antennæ: b, his length from his forehead to the end of his tail: b, c, his corselet: d, e, the hinder part of his body: c, f, the length of his wings: a, f, his whole extent, wings included. Whether this be a captain we do not know if there be a species of this size, what a formidable devourer!

No. 4. Is copied from the Gentleman's Magazine for 1748, and is a locust taken in England: we shall use it to explain the passage, Levit. xi. 20. "But these ye may eat from among winged creepers going on four feet, i.e. on the four front feet, 1, 2, 3, 4. those which have joints at the upper, or higher, parts of

their hind legs. These hind legs, as appears by consulting the passage, have a specific name, regeli; and these joints also, caroim. They are marked A A. These regeli and caroim, are evidently the members which the creature employs "to leap withal upon the earth," as mentioned in the close of this verse. The front legs seem to be considered as having paws, rather than feet; and the creature occasionally uses the front pair, as hands to convey food to its mouth. Compare Judg. vi. 5; Job xxxix. 20; Amos vii. 1. et al. where our translation uses the word grasshoppers and note the distinctions between gab, chagub, (gub, chagub) and arbah; which certainly are different kinds, though we are at a loss to identify them. This varies the spirit, at least, of some passages, if not their general import.

As our translators have used the word grasshopper, to denote every species of locust, they seem to have committed a similar error with those who thought the locust to be the cicada, which also has been very commonly confounded, "by the major part of translators," says Dr. Shaw, with the grasshopper, but which the comparison afforded by our Plate, shows to be very different. This cicada appears in the hot months of summer, and continues its shrill chirping during the greater part of the day, sitting among the leaves of trees. We have plenty of allusions to it in Anacreon, and others in Theocritus; where it has been by some rendered locust, by others grasshopper: perhaps it may be alluded to in Scripture: can it be the beetle of our translators? Levit. xi. 22. Vide Theol. Idyll. 1; Antipater, Anthol. lib. i. cap. 33; Ælian, &c. The Athenians called themselves grasshoppers; as supposing themselves to be earth-born, autocthones, like those insects: some wore golden grasshoppers in their hair. A. The larva of this insect.

THE following letter was drawn up with a view of being laid before the Royal Society, as having originated from, and being connected with, an early num-ber in their Transactions: we presume, however, that it will not be unacceptable to our readers, as it is

clearly a Bible subject, as it strengthens some suggestions formerly thrown out by us, [vide FRAGMENT, No. 113,] and as it leads to a further acquaintance with the deities of those countries where Scripture history occasionally introduces us.

Being engaged in searching for information on a subject of antiquity, I happened to examine the copies of two inscriptions engraved in the Philosophical Transactions, No. 201. of which the following history is given us by the gentleman who communicated them, who

signs himself A. F. Esq. They were retrieved from the papers of Mr. Flower, agent in Persia for our East India Company; who while a merchant at Aleppo, visited the ruins at Chihelminar, or Persepolis, for the purpose of procuring "a draught of the place,