The locust plague and its suppression / by Æneas Munro.

  • Munro, Aeneas.
Date:
[1899]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The locust plague and its suppression / by Æneas Munro. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    and therefore it encounters a variety of obstacles in its speed or inarch, while one that can pass in, say, six hours would be different. When there is a company of this kind they make a noise—sometimes sufficient to stampede tame cows. DEPORTMENT OF A COMPANY OF FLYING LOCUSTS 81. They have no leader.—The next point in the natural sequence is to consider the deportment of the locusts which have come as visitors (t.e. the local company), and to which reference has just been made. Although we do not know the laws which regulate the movements of the swarm, yet there is no difficulty regarding the recording of some of their doings. They rise, after resting for the night as a body, in the same way as a flock of sheep or cattle rise, in a gradual manner (and not all at once), with the heat of the morning sun, roam about, coming and going, to and fro, apparently without any known rule—influenced sometimes by the wind, and sometimes as if with the object of knowing the character of the ground, alternately resting and flying, but always, in the South African Republic, tending in the end towards the <f south ” in their journey. They may hover about a district a whole day in the way indicated, occasionally without doing any harm or damage, and at sundown the sight becomes interesting beyond description, for the whole company then appear to vie with one another in order to roost quickly. This they do so closely to each other that every twig, branch, bush, or the separate stalks of the corn or wheat or flax are completely covered, and sometimes they stick to each other, so that they may be three or four deep. As far as the eye can see the surface assumes a brownish-red hue. Pillars, posts, or the walls of houses are all alike to them at the time of roosting for the night. There does not appear to be any leader among them, as in the case of a flying swarm of bees which follow their “ queen.” They appear to act together in their movements by a common sort of instinct or impulse. They move about thus for about six weeks irregularly; sometimes they hover round a given locality for a whole day, and sometimes move away rapidly, flying over a number of miles in the course of a day; at other times they disappear for a few days and then return again. On a cold, sunless day they do not rise at all or move from their encampment. 82. Distinction between “ fliers ” and “ hoppers.” — The remarks now made refer chiefly, or rather exclusively, to those bands of locusts when they come away first from their permanent homes, and are bound upon exploring and visiting or invading a new country. The locusts bred in the district, after they take wing and become “ flying ” locusts, may not follow exactly the same routine. They hover about in all directions—to and fro—while they last. This, how-
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