412 ANNUAL, REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1920. 



locust (Melano'plus spretus), which are recorded from as early as 

 1818 up to 1888. The most destructive and widespread migrations 

 occurred from 1873 to 1876. Then the insects devoured every green 

 thing over extensive areas and were a veritable plague to the farmers 

 of the Great Plains. 



Cyrus Thomas, of the United States Entomological Commission, 

 which investigated and reported on the Rocky Mountain locust prob- 

 lem, gives evidence which he says proves positively the great useful- 

 ness of birds in locally suppressing the locust. He notes that in one 

 instance " a garden was attacked by an innumerable host of minute 

 locusts ; the owner battled bravely with them for a while, but at last, 

 giving up in despair, sat down to watch the progress of destruction 

 of his vegetables and flowers, when suddenly a flock of blackbirds 

 alighted on the young cottonwoods he had planted in his yard." 

 Presently " they flew into the garden ; when they left, an hour or so 

 after, the dreaded ' hoppers ' were gone and his garden saved." x 



The most important data published by the Entomological Commis- 

 sion on the relation of birds to the locust were contributed by Samuel 

 Aughey, of Lincoln, Nebraska. Professor Aughey cites several in- 

 stances in which birds completely destroyed the locusts on limited 

 areas. He says : 



In the spring of 1865 the locusts hatched out in countless numbers in north- 

 eastern Nebraska. Very few fields of corn and the cereal grains escaped some 

 damage. Some fields were entirely destroyed, while others were hurt to the 

 amount of from 10 to 75 per cent. One field of corn northwest of Dakota City 

 was almost literally covered with locusts, and where the indications were that 

 not a stalk would escape. After, and about the time the corn was up, the 

 yellow-headed blackbirds in large numbers made this field their feeding ground. 

 Visiting the field frequently I could see a gradual diminution of the number of 

 locusts. Other birds, especially the plovers, helped the yellowheads. And 

 although some of the corn had to be replanted once, yet it was the birds that 

 made the crop that was raised possible at all. 



During the season I visited Pigeon Creek Valley, in this county, and 

 found among the eaten-up wheat fields one where the damage done was not 

 over 5 per cent. The Irishman who pointed it out to me ascribed it to the 

 work of the birds, chief among which were the blackbirds and plover, with a 

 few quail and prairie chickens. 



In another locality, where the old Omadi Road then crossed Omaha Creek, 

 there were a few old abandoned fields where there were enormous numbers of 

 young locusts toward the end of May. I see from my note-book that I esti- 

 mated that about 300 locusts hatched out here to the square foot. Some cotton- 

 wood and other timber was near by where many species of birds were breed- 

 ing at that time and later in the season. The birds soon spied out this 

 locust-covered spot and made it their feeding grounds. I frequently stopped 

 at this place as I passed by, both to find out what birds existed in the State 

 and to observe their effect on the locust, as I had been then in the West but 

 a short time. But go when I would, for at least a month more or less, birds 



1 1st Rept. (Tfor 1877), U. S. Ent. Comm., pp. 335-336, 1878. 



