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TRANSACTIONS OF THE NORTHERN 



tious. I then declared that the principal cause of their extermination was an "epidemic disease." 

 I did not mulvc tliis assertion to defend some pet theory tliat I had conceived independently of obser- 

 vations. I also informed you tliat the "lady birds and larvaj of " }i;olden-eyed flies " had produced 

 dreadful slaughter among the chinch bugs. It was by years of the closest possible observation of 

 the chinch bug that I made these great and important discoveries in the natural history of this 

 Important insect. The principal part of my observations extended over the years 1863, '64 and '65. 

 A few had been made before I was induced to make these observations, after reading the most able 

 entomological reports on the chinch bug, which reports, although excellent, were not sulHcient to 

 convince me that all that might be learned was placed upon recoi-d. This insect has been written 

 and commented on probably more than any other of our common noxious insects. Page after 

 page from numerous authors in newspapers and other journals, scientific or otherwise, has been 

 introduced to our notice, much of which has been profitable; some, no doubt, has been worthless. 

 After all that has been said, I know that much more remains yet to be learned about even the closely 

 scrutinized "chinch bug," which future years may yet reveal. If all this is true, and some 

 obscurity yet lurks around the natural history of the chinch bug, what a vast unexplored field 

 invites the student of Practical Entomology to step wltliin its ])ortals and reap the golden harvest. 

 Untold numbers of Insects swarm around us during the live-long summer, none or scarcely any of 

 which have been studied at all as thoroughly as has been the chinch bug; and had not the chinch bug 

 departed trom among us, I presume that I would still be following it day after day into the wheat 

 and corn fields, and every year adding something to om* store of knowledge of its natural history. 



What we want is more practical entomolog?sts— working men, men who will go out into tlie fields 

 and study insects in their native liomes; men that live in the country, the home of the insects. We 

 have a good corps of theoretical entomologists, noble-minded men, like Leconte, Cresson, Horn, 

 Packard, Ostensachen, Uhler, Edwards, Grott, Robinson, and a multitude of others, who study 

 insect forms trom dead specimens in their closets, within the cloisters of great cities, where large 

 collections are thrown together, and where libraries are at their command. They group insects 

 together into orders, families and genera. Species are correctly named, and they are always ready 

 to confer with the practical entomologist who [studies insect life in tlie field . And in this way any 

 observer of the habits of insects can get a correct name for the loarticular insect that he studies, and 

 thus be able to give information that the world can comprehend . 



The theoretical and the practical entomologist nmst go together hand in hand, for without true 

 names the practical entomologist is not able to publish his obsei-vations. 



Of practical entomologists we have two kinds. One who lives in the city and makes occasional 

 excursions into the country, collects insects, and studies tliem in his breeding cages. The other 

 lives in the country, and therefore can see his insects every day in their native liberties, as well as 

 study them in his breeding cages. Both these develop much truth, but he who lives in the rural dis- 

 tricts or a small liamlet has the superior advantage. Cage breeding is useful to each, but daily field 

 study for years, is necessary in all cases in order that he maj- learn everything of any insect. 



It was while studying the chinch bug in the field that I made the discoveries already alluded to- 

 some within five minutes walk of my home. The epidemic disease that I described was first intro- 

 duced to my notice on the 16th day of July, 1865, by an accidental circumstance A farmer told me 

 that a "black bug" was devouriiig the chinch bugs on his farm. He failed to show me the "black 

 bug," but I observed that the chinch bugs were mostly dead and dying on the low, damp, creek bottom 

 lands of his farm. Following the cine to the observations I there made, I soon learned that the dis- 

 ease was beginning to spread among the chinch bugs on the higli lands. For one long month from 

 tliat time the disease ravaged tliem without mercy. They melted away before it like the new fallen 

 snow before the scorching rays of the vernal sun, until comparatively none were to be found. I 

 gazed upon tliis interesting scene with enthusiasllc pleasure, observing it almost alone, altliough a 

 race of beings were in their death tliroes. immediately beneath our feet— a race outnumbering all the 

 nations that have ever lived on the face of the eartli. Alone I wlij' observing it alone'? Tlie multi- 

 tude from various reasons was neglecting to notice wliat was transpiring among the "little bugs" 

 beneath their feet. Some because tliey apprehended that everything al)out a cliincli bug had ah-eady 

 been learned; many because they considered such study too small a business for them. 



Enthusiastic; Yes, I was enthusiastic upon the subject. Well miglit I be. Tlie staff of life was 

 being consumed, and the pecuniary loss in the northern portion of the Valley of the Mississippi 

 exceeded one hundred millions in the preceding year. Walsh computes seventy-three millions in 

 Illinois alone, (Am, Ent.,) with a prospect of still more fearful destruction then, which, if continued, 

 my nnithematics demonstrated unmistakably would to a sum amoimtas vast as the wealth of tlie world 

 before the rising generation had passed away. Tlie loss of former years was before us in tlie writings 

 of Walsh and other close observers. 



The law that insects will multiply as we multiply their food, as a general rule, was before us. In 

 this instance the food of the chinch bug was our food. To discontinue its production was our 

 destruction, if the law is unifoi-mly good. Famine, poverty, with all its terrors, stare us in the 

 face. Our lands of but little value, for if we can raise no wheat or corn where are we. And they 

 will consume grass itself when pushed for food. 



