distinct species, to retain the specific name morbillosus for the African species, and to give
a new name to the Chinese species.
When this insect is at rest, the wings are folded and much o f its beauty is con c e a led ;
but when these are expanded, its appearance is altogether magnificent. It has nothing
o f the shining and metallic splendour o f the Coleóptera, for its colours are translucent,
and assume their richest hues when they pass before the light. Th e elytra are purple,
variegated with yellow ; the wings o f a glowing crimson, spotted with black ; the
abdomen is surrounded with alternate zones o f black and yellow, and the leg s are
throughout o f an elegant scarlet, inferior only in brightness to the coral red o f the head
and thorax. Upon the whole, this species is embellished with such a profusion o f
various and beautiful colours, that it may be considered as a most splendid example o f
the Linnsean Hemipterous order o f insects. It is represented on the I r is Chinensis in a
flying position.
T h is is not supposed to be a numerous species in China ; on the contrary, it is
probably uncommon. Several others o f the locust are abundant in that country, and in
seasons favourable to their increase do incredible mischief.* Both the Locusta tartarica
and Locusta migratoria inhabit Tartary on the northern confines o f China, from whence,
at certain periods, they descend lik e an impetuous torrent over the neighbouring
countries in quest o f food, strip the earth o f verdure, and scarcely leave the vestige
o f vegetation behind them. The Locusta migratoria, whose myriads are said to darken
the face o f heaven in their flights, sometimes direct their course westward, cross rivers,
sea, and an immense extent o f country, till they reach E u rop e ; and though many are
lost in these bold migrations, the survivors are in sufficient numbers to commit vast
depredations. This species has been known to visit E n g la n d ,t but not in any
abundance. In Little Tartary and the European provinces o f Turkey, in Italy, and in
Gei-many,;}; they do great m ischief in these migrations. The Locusta flavicomis and
* “ F am in e s sometimes h a p p e n in this p a r t o f th e p ro v in c e ; in some seasons iminda tions p roduc ed by
to rren ts from th e m o unta ins, a n d as often th e depred a tio n s o f locusts, a re causes o f this d is a s te r.” {S ir
J . S ta u n to n , Chap. on T ien -s in g .)
t T h e la s t ap p e a ran c e o f this species in E n g la n d was in 1748. D o novan h a d specimens o f it from Sm y rn a ,
G e rm an y , a n d C h in a , and de emed it too common a n d g ene ra l an in h a b ita n t to me rit a figure a s a Chinese
: R oesel sp e ak s o f th is lo cu s t infesting th e provinces o f W a lla c lu a , Moldavia , and T ran sy lv an ia , in such
immense n um be rs in th e ye a rs 1747, 1 748, a n d 1749, th a t an Im p e r ia l a n d R o y a l H u n g a r ia n e d ic t was
issued, with p rin ted instruc tions for th e b e st m e ans o f ex te rm in a tin g them . {D e r H eu s ch r e c k en -u n d
G rillen sam m lu n g , ^ c . ^ c . vo l. I I . p a g e 193.)