Though there are some descriptions of food for which the locust shows a partiality, the creature is seldom difficult in its choice, but eats up every green plant that comes in its way. The leaves and young branches vanish from the trees in a trice ; a rich meadow is presently converted into a tract of black earth ; the bank of a river is stripped with magical rapidity of its reedy fringe ; and not a particle of stubble is left to mark the place where the green com was waving but an hour before. As they eat they keep moving on, but as the first comers seldom leave much for their successors, the rear-guard frequently rise into the air, and let themselves down again somewhat in advance of the main body. Others are continually flying away towards the flanks, and in proportion as the marauders advance, their solid phalanx assumes more and more the appearance of a lengthened line. The sound of the little animal's bite as it grazes, joined to the continual rustling of its wings, which it always keeps in motion while feeding, may be distinctly heard at a considerable distance. To any one near the spot, the noise is quite as great as that made by a large flock of sheep eagerly cropping the grass. If the com is quite ripe, the locust can do it little harm ; but whatever is still green is certain to be devoured. Sometimes a farmer, on seeing the enemy's approach, will try to save a field of nearly ripe com by cutting it down and carrying the sheaves home immediately, but the attempt rarely succeeds, for the invading host advances its line of march, undismayed by the mowers, and will eat away the blades faster than the scythe can cut them. There are few things the locusts are fonder of than Indian corn, and it is a curious sight to behold a field of maize vanishing before their ravenous teeth. The maize grows to a great height on the steppe, and makes a very imposing appearance as it approaches maturity. A small number of locusts, however, are able, in a few seconds, to perforate the plant like a honeycomb, and in a few minutes not a trace of it is left. Each plant is quickly covered with insects, while others are industriously working away at the root. Blade falls rapidly on blade, and at each fall a Httle swarm rises, to settle quickly down again with renewed voracity. If the corn was nearly ripe, the farmer has, perhaps, the consolation of seeing a yellow stubble-field remaining, to tantalize him -with the recollection of the hoped-for abundance. In the costly gardens of the Odessa merchants, the locust is particularly destructive. It does not touch the melons, cucumbers, nor the growing fruit on the trees, but it ruthlessly devours the leaves and the stalks, Ieawng the fruit scattered on the ground, to wither with the bodies of the slain destroyers. The leaves, tendrils, and young branches of a vine, will be completely eaten away, but the grapes will be found scattered like so many berries below. Every tree in the garden, meanwhile, is bending under the unwelcome load, wliile the crackling of the branches, the tearing of the bark, and the rustling of the wings, raise a din quite as loud as that of a carpenter's workshop, in which a score or two of men ai'e sawing, boring, and
A vcrst is 3500 feet long, a square verst contains, therefore, 12,250,000 square feet, and 1,764,000,000 square inches.
planing ; and when at length the swarm takes its departure, it leaves behind it a scene of such perfect desolation, as no other animal in the world can equal. Even the dung, of which it leaves an enormous quantity behind, is injurious to the soil on which it falls ; and for a long time after a field has been visited by a swarm of locusts, the cattle manifest the greatest aversion to the place.