L E T T E R HI.
Natural hi/lory o f the locu/ls that ravaged the province o f Eftremadura,
in the years 1 7 5 4 , 1 7 5 5 , 1 7 5 6 , and 1 7 5 7 , from the obfervations o f
Don Guillermo Bowles.
THE locufts, of which I am now going to fpeak,
are continually feen in the fouthern parts of Spain,
particularly in the paftures and remote uncultivated dif-
trifts of Eftremadura, but in general are not taken notice
of, i f not very numerous, as they commonly feed
upon wild h e r b s , without preying upon^gardens, and cultivated
lands, or making their way into houfes. The
peafants look at them with indifference, while they are
frilking about in the fields, neglecting any meafures to
deftroy them, till the danger is imminent, and the favourable
moment to remedy the evil is elapfed.
Their yearly number is not very confiderable, as the
males are far more numerous than the females.* I f an
equal proportion was allowed, only for ten years, their
numbers would be fo great, as to deftroy the whole vegetative
fyftem. Beafts and birds wouldr ftarve for want
of fubfiftence, and even mankind would become a prey
to their ravenous appetites. In 1754, their increafe was
fo
fo great from,the multitude :of females, that all La Mam
eha and Portugal were covered with them, and totally ravaged.
The. horrors; of famine were fpread even further,
. and aftailed-, the- fruitfuL provinces o f Andal-ufia,
Murcia,- and Valencia..
The amours o f thefe creatures are objefls o f furprife-
and aftonifhment, and their union is fuch, that it is difficult
to feparate them.. When this feparation is voluntary,
.after having lafted: fome hours,, they are fo exhauft-
ed, that the male retires immediately to the water. Tor
refreiliment,.^herie, Tofing, the ufe of his limbs, he foom
perishes, and. becomes an eafy prey to, the -fifti ; having
given life to his .offspring, at the expence of his own..
The female, difembarraffed,. though not. without, violent
ftruggles, fpends the remainder o f her days im
fome folitary place, bufy in forming a retreat under
ground, where fhe can fecure her eggs, o f which, fhe ge-
nerally lays ,about forty, ikreening them by her fagacity,,
from the intemperature of the air, as well as the more
immediate danger of the plough, or the fpade ; one fatal,
blow of which,, would deftroy all the hopes of a riling generation..
The manner o f her building this cell is equally, fum
prifing,. I:n the hinder part of her body, nature has provided
her with a round, fmooth inftrument, eight lines.
K k im