in zoology. See Gryllus, and Plate CXL.

The annals of most of the warm countries are filled with accounts of the devastations produced by the locusts, who sometimes make their appearance in clouds of two or three miles in length, and several yards deep. They seldom visit Europe in such swarms as formerly; yet in the warmer parts of it are still formidable.—Those which have at uncertain intervals visited Europe in our memory, are supposed to have come from Africa, and are of that species called the great brown locust. This insect is about three inches long, and has two horns or feelers an inch in length. The head and horns are of a brownish colour; it is blue about the mouth, as also on the inside of the larger legs. The shield which covers the back is greenish; and the upper-side of the body brown, spotted black, and the under-side purple. The upper-wings are brown, with small dusky spots, and one larger spot at the tips. The under-wings are more transparent, and of a light brown tinctured with green, but there is a dark cloud of spots near the tips.

These insects are bred in the warm parts of Asia and Africa, from whence they have often taken their flight into Europe, where they committed terrible devastations. They multiply faster than any other animal in the creation, and are truly terrible in the countries where they breed. Some of them were seen in different parts of Britain in the year 1748, and great mischiefs were apprehended: but happily for us, the coldness of our climate, and the humidity of our soil, are very unfavourable to their production; so that, as they are only animals of a year's continuance, they all perish without leaving a young generation to succeed them.

When the locusts take the field, as we are assured, they have a leader at their head, whose flight they observe, and pay a strict regard to all his motions. They appear at a distance like a black cloud, which, as it approaches, gathers upon the horizon, and almost hides the light of day. It often happens, that the husbandman sees this imminent calamity pass away without doing him any mischief; and the whole swarm proceeds onward to settle upon some less fortunate country. In those places, however, where they alight, they destroy every green thing, stripping the trees of their leaves, as well as devouring the corn and grasses. In the tropical climates they are not so pernicious as in the more northern parts of Europe. In the first, the power of vegetation is so strong, that an interval of three or four days repairs the damage; but in Europe this cannot be done till next year. Besides, in their long flights to this part of the world, they are famished by the length of their journey, and are therefore more voracious wherever they happen to settle. But as much damage is occasioned by what they destroy, as by what they devour. Their bite is thought to contaminate the plant, and either to destroy or greatly to weaken its vegetation. To use the expression of the husbandmen, they burn whatever they touch, and leave the marks of their devastation for three or four years ensuing. When dead, they infect the air in such a manner that the stench is insupportable.—Orofius tells us, that, in the year of the world 3800, Africa was infested with a multitude of locusts. After having eaten up every thing that was green, they flew off and were drowned in the sea; where they caused such a stench as could not have been equalled by the putrefying carcases of 100,000 men.

In the year 1650, a cloud of locusts was seen to enter Russia in three different places; and from thence they spread themselves over Poland and Lithuania in such astonishing multitudes, that the air was darkened and the earth covered with their numbers. In some places, they were seen lying dead, heaped upon each other to the depth of four feet; in others, they covered the surface like a black cloth; the trees bent with their weight, and the damage which the country sustained exceeded computation.

In Barbary, their numbers are formidable, and their visits frequent. Dr Shaw was a witness of their devastations in that country in 1724. Their first appearance was in the latter end of March, when the wind had been southerly for some time. In the beginning of April, their numbers were so vastly increased, that, in the heat of the day, they formed themselves into large swarms that appeared like clouds, and darkened the sun. In the middle of May they began to disappear, retiring into the plains to deposit their eggs. In June the young brood began to make their appearance, forming many compact bodies of several hundred yards square; which afterwards marching forward, climbed the trees, walls, and houses, eating every thing that was green in their way. The inhabitants, to stop their progress, laid trenches all over their fields and gardens, which they filled with water. Some placed large quantities of heath, stubble, and such like combustible matter, in rows, and set them on fire on the approach of the locusts. But all this was to no purpose; for the trenches were quickly filled up, and the fires put out by the great numbers of swarms that succeeded each other. A day or two after one of these was in motion, others that were just hatched came to glean after them, gnawing off the young branches, and the very bark of the trees. Having lived lived near a month in this manner, they arrived at their full growth, and threw off their worm-like state, by casting their skins. To prepare themselves for this change, they fixed their hinder part to some bush or twig, or corner of a stone; when immediately, by an undulating motion used on this occasion, their heads would first appear, and soon after the rest of their bodies. The whole transformation was performed in seven or eight minutes time, after which they remained for a little while in a languishing condition; but as soon as the sun and air had hardened their wings, and dried up the moisture that remained after casting off their former sloughs, they returned to their former greediness, with an addition both of strength and agility. But they did not long continue in this state before they were entirely dispersed. After laying their eggs, they directed their course northward, and probably perished in the sea.

It would be endless to recount all the mischief which these locusts have at different times occasioned; but what induces them to take such distant flights as they are known to do, seems not easily discovered. Most probably, by reason of very dry seasons in the internal parts of Africa, they are propagated in such numbers, that the vegetables of the spot where they are produced are not sufficient for their maintenance. Thus being obliged to find out other countries, they traverse the sandy deserts; and still meeting with nothing to allure them from their flight, they proceed forward across the sea, and thus come into Europe, where they alight upon the first green pastures that occur.

In some parts of the world, locusts are used as food*. In many oriental countries they are caught in small nets provided for that purpose. They parch them over the fire in an earthen pan; and when their wings and legs are fallen off, they turn reddish, of the colour of boiled shrimps. Dampier has eaten them thus prepared, and thinks them a tolerable dish. The natives of Barbary also eat them fried with salt; and they are said to taste like cray-fish.

Locust-Eaters. See the last article, and Acrotophagi.

American Locust. See Cicada.

Lodgement, in military affairs, a work made by the besiegers in some part of a fortification, (after the besieged have been driven out), to maintain it, and be covered from the enemy's fire.—When a lodgement is to be made on the glacis, covert-way, or in a breach, there must be a great provision made of fascines, sand-bags, gabions, wool-packs, &c. in the trenches; and during the action, the pioneers, under the direction of an engineer, with fascines, sandbags, &c. should be making the lodgement, in order to form a covering, while the grenadiers are storming the covert way.