166 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. 



especially favourite localities. Meadows and pastures are commonly resorted to by 

 the mature females, especially the latter, as the eggs seem not to be laid ordinarily 

 on ground covered by luxuriant vegetation. I have never known them deposited in 

 cultivated earth. The food habits of these locusts are extremely simple, and consist 

 in eating nearly everything coming in their way." 



The Lesser Migratory Locust is a very widely distributed species which fre- 

 quently becomes injurious on account of its excessive increase. It is more nearly 

 allied to the Eocky Mountain Locust than to the Eed-legged. It is about the size of 

 the latter, but, like the former, has longer wings and, although to a lesser degree, is 

 migratory in its habits. This is the species to which probably most of the locust 

 injury in Canada should be attributed, as it is a commoo species from British Colum- 

 bia to the Maritime Provinces, and Prof. Lawrence Bruner says: — " It is the species 

 which most frequently does the locust injury in the New England States, much of 

 that in the Northern States, and some of that in the extreme North-west. It has 

 also been known to become injurious in the Middle and Southern States. In its distri- 

 bution this species seeans to be more partial to hilly or mountainous country, and 

 especially is this noticeable in reference to its appearance in destructive numbers. 

 It seems also to prefer wooded or mixed country to the open prairies or plains." 



The Lesser Migratory Locust is about the same size as, and closely resembles the 

 Red-legged Locust, and, as its range is practically the same, it is impossible to sepa- 

 rate the injuries of the two in the reports received. The two species may, however, 

 be easily distinguished by the entomologist, from the fact that the prosternal spine 

 of ^. atlanis is sharply pointed, while that of M. femur-ruhrum \% spatulate or en- 

 larged at the apex. 



The Two-striped Locust is the large common olive-green species with heavy 

 body and two light stripes down the back, which is frequently found in gardens and 

 about the edges of fields. It occurs from the Atlantic to the Pacific and from the 

 Gulf of Mexico to the Saskatchewan. Prof. Bruner says of it: — "Its increase in 

 destructive numbers appears to be confined chiefly to the regions lying between the 

 Rocky Mountains and the Atlantic. This locust appears to vary considerably in 

 size and colour. Thtre are, however, two well defined forms, the one receiving the 

 name bivittatus and the other going by that of femoratus, the latter occurring only 

 northward." 



The large amount of damage annually wrought by locusts is seldom appreciated. 

 Their habits are to frequent grass lands, where a large proportion of the crop may 

 be consumed without making much diff'erence in the appearance of the fields. It is 

 only after hay is cut, or in seasons of unusual drought, that locust injuries are 

 much noticed. If, however, their numbers at all times and their voracity are con- 

 sidered, it will at once be seen that they must every year destroy much produce. 

 They do not develop wings until July, and previous to that they pass most of their 

 lives low down among the stems of grasses. Besides locusts, there are many other 

 grass feeding insects which every year levy a heavy toll unnoticed. These may all be 

 to a large measure controlled by the use of machines called "hopper-dozers," or " tar 

 pans," which wereinvented in the west some years ago at the time of the so-called 

 "locust invasions." Prof. Herbert Osborn, oflowa, writing on means of destroying 

 grasshoppers, says : — " In meadows and pastures we believe the use of the hopper- 

 dozer the most practical plan that can bo recommended. In many cases it can be 

 used to capture these and the leaf-hoppers at the same time, especially if used when 

 grasshoppers are still quite small and can be held by a thin layer of coal tar used 

 on the simple flat sheet of iron. When larger they need a deeper layer of coal tar, 

 or a pan of water with a covering of coal oil on it. A cheap and simple plan for this 

 purpose, costing but fiom $1.50 to $2, was described many years ago by Prof. Riley. 

 It consists of a strip of sheet iron 8 or 10 feet long, turned up 1 inch in fjont 

 and 1 foot behind, with pieces soldered in at the ends (or made of wood), and hooks 

 placed in front at the ends for the attachment of ropes. If to run on rough ground 

 it will be better to put runners 1^ or 2 inches high underneath. Into this put a 

 layer of coal tar half an inch deep, or water and kerosene. It can be drawn by a 

 boy at each end, or by horse power if preferred." 



