OF WASHINGTON. 253 
very small (Monilema, Scyphophorus, Acalles hubbardi), but 
future investigations will, no doubt, considerably increase the 
number. 
FLIGHT OF A GRASSHOPPER WHEN PURSUED. Some time in July of" 
the present year there was witnessed by a great number of people, in- 
cluding Mr. Pergande and myself, a curious and exciting sight, viz., a 
fight between two sparrows {Passer domesticus) and a grasshopper. On 
the lawn in front of the main entrance of the Department of Agriculture 
a specimen of CEdipoda Carolina rose into the air after the custom of this 
species, when it was espied and pounced upon by two sparrows. Instead 
of dropping to the ground the grasshopper remained on the wing, about 
10 or 12 feet from the ground, and flew across the lawn and across the 
road leading towards i2th street, its objective point being evidently the 
clump of pine trees near that road, and toward which it flew in as straight 
a line as it could under these trying circumstances. The whole distance 
of this flight was at least So feet. During all this time it was hotly pur- 
sued by the two sparrows and had many narrow escapes, but finally 
managed to reach, the trees. 
The reason why I bring this little incident to your knowledge is to 
mention the clever way in which the grasshopper dodged the constant 
pouncing of the .sparrows. Although it evidently flew as fast as it 
possibly could, its flight was by far slower than that of the two sparrows 
in pursuit, who had no difficulty in repeatedly overtaking their intended 
victim. But just at ,the critical moments the grasshopper suddenly 
lowered or raised its flight for a foot or so, never deflecting to the right 
or left. I think that Orthoptera and Coleoptera generally are not 
capable of making sudden lateral movements while on the wing, whereas 
it is well known that in most Odonata and Heterocera and in many 
Hymenoptera and Diptera, such sudden lateral changes in the direction 
of the flight are executed with the greatest precision. 
To a swallow these sudden changes in the direction of the flight would 
have made no .difference whatever and it would no doubt have captured 
the grasshopper on the first or second sweep, but the sparrows were 
utterly unable to follow these movements quickly. That there were two 
sparrows in pursuit greatly added to the chances of the CEdipoda, for the 
birds greatly impeded each other, constantly colliding with each other 
and keeping up a loud and eager quarrelling during the whole duration 
of the chase. 
As stated before, the grasshopper finally succeeded in darting into one 
of the pine trees; the two sparrows flew around the tree, evidently in I he 
expectation of seeing the grasshopper emerge on the other side, but it 
did not, and thus ended this exciting race which was very creditable to 
the abilities of the grasshopper, but by no means so to the reputation of 
the sparrows as insect-catching birds. 
