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2 (1803)
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425
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OF THE CRIMEA.

425

difperfe, but foon collect, and follow their former route. Inthis manner, they advance from morning tili evening, withouthalting, frequently at the rate of one hundred fathoms andupwards in the courfe of a day. Although they prefer tomarch along high-roads, foot-paths, or open tra&s, yet whentheir progrefs is oppofed by bufhes, hedges, and ditches, theypenetrate through them: their way can only be impeded bythe waters of brooks or canals; as they are apparently terrifiedat every kind of moifture. Often, however, they endeavourto gain the oppofite bank with the aid of overhanging boughs jand, if the ftalks of plants or fhrubs be laid acrofs the water,they pafs in clofe columns over thefe temporary bridgesj onwhich they even feem to reft, and enjoy the refrefhing cool-nefs. Towards fun-fet, the whole fwarm gradually collect inparties, and creep up the plants, or encamp on flight eminences.Woe, then, to the vineyards in which fuch a fwarm fettlesfor the night; and, if the following day fhould happen tobe cold, cloudy, or rainy (in which weather they never travel),they not only confume all the weeds and vine-leaves in it, butfrequently, when the weeds do not fupply them with fufficientnutriment and exercife, they completely ftrip the bark andbuds off the young twigs; fo that thefe fhoots remain, through-out the fummer, as white as chalk and füll of fap, withoutproducing frefh foliage. The fame fate awaits thofe places onwhich they fettle for the purpofe of cafting their fkins. It is aremarkable circumflance, that, while the vine-bloflbms continueclofed, the infecT: does not attack them; but, as foon as theyare blown, it devours the whole of them in the moft rapaciousvol. 11. 3 1 manner,