locust

Dictionary of Australasian Words Phrases and Usages by Edward E. Morris

n.


name popularly but quite erroneouslyapplied to insects belonging to two distinct orders.

1) Insects belonging to the order Hemiptera. The greatblack Cicada, Cicada moerens, Germ., and the great greenCicada, Cyclochila australasiae, Donov.

2) Insects belonging to the order Orthoptera,such as the great green gum-tree grasshopper, Locustavigentissima, Serv., or the Australian yellow-wingedlocust, Oedipoda musica, Fab.

1846. J. L. Stokes, `Discoveries in Australia,' vol. I. c.ix. p. 285:

«The trees swarmed with large locusts (the Cicada),quite deafening us with their shrill buzzing noise.»

1862. F. J. Jobson, `Australia,' c. iv. p. 104:

«We heard everywhere on the gumtrees the cricket-likeinsects – – usually called locusts by the colonists – – hissingtheir reed-like monotonous noise.»

1869. J. Townend, `Reminiscences of Australia,' p. 155:

«The perpetual song of unnumbered locusts.»

1885. H. H. Hayter, `Carboona,' p. 5:

«The deaf'ning hum of the locusts.»

1885. F. McCoy, `Prodromus of the Natural History ofVictoria,' Dec. 5, pl. 50:

«Our Cicada moerens . . . produces an almost deafeningsound from the numbers of the individuals in the hottest daysand the loudness of their noise.» «This species ( CyclochilaAustralasiae) is much less abundant than the C. moerens, and seems more confined to moist places,such as river banks and deep ravines and gullies.»

1889. F. McCoy, `Prodromus of the Natural History ofVictoria,' Dec. 11, pl. 110:

«The great size of the muscular thighs of the posterior pair offeet enables the Locusts to jump much higher, further, and morereadily than Grasshoppers, giving an example of muscular poweralmost unparalleled in the animal kingdom.»

1896. F. A. Skuse, `Records of Australian Museum,' vol. ii.No. 7, p. 107:

«What are commonly styled `locusts' in this country are really Cicadae, belonging to a totally distinct and widelyseparated order of insects. And moreover the same kind of Cicada is known by different names in differentlocalities, such as `Miller,' `Mealyback,' etc. The truelocusts belong to the grasshoppers, while the HomopterousCicadidae have been known as Cicadas from timesof remote antiquity.»

Related Words