420 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 84 



In the 1890's the famous French entomologist, J. Kiinckel d'Her- 

 culais, had made an exhaustive study of the migratory locusts of 

 Algeria and subsequently the French colonial government published 

 the results of his investigations in four volumes, 1893-1905.' Kiinckel 

 d'Herculais was a thoroughly skilled orthopterist and a man of pro- 

 nounced practical views ; and he also was invited by the Argentine 

 Government to investigate their locust problem. This he did and a 

 short report by him was published in 1900. 



The Defensa Agricola has done good work, and its machinery is 

 simple. L am indebted to Mr. Everard Blanchard for the following 

 facts. 



The country is divided up into 33 geographical divisions, each 

 division being called a " seccional." Each seccional is provided with 

 a chief, or " comisario," who has charge of as many men as the 

 importance of his division warrants. The farmers included in each 

 division report their insect troubles to the comisarios or to the per- 

 sonnel in their charge, and these in their turn advise the farmers how 

 to attack the pests, and, when necessary, provide' spraying machinery 

 or other implements required to combat the pest. For locust work, 

 the Defensa Agricola has a stock of over 50,000,000 meters of zinc 

 and galvanized iron sheeting, conveniently distributed in 43 depots. 

 As a rule this sheeting is rented to the farmers at a very low rate, but 

 in case the farmer is poor and unable to pay rent, the sheeting is pro- 

 vided gratis. When the pest reported to the comisario is a new one, 

 or presents unusual characteristics, the matter is referred to the cen- 

 tral office in Buenos Aires, material of the pest or disease being sent 

 to the Defensa's laboratories to be studied. If the pest is of sufficient 

 importance, competent entomologists or agronomists are sent to study 

 the plague on the spot. Otherwise, after due identification of tlie jiest, 

 detailed information is sent to the comisarios who in their turn 

 advise the farmers and cooperate, when necessary, to carry out the 



^ I do not think the story has been told in print of the report that was sent 

 out from Paris over the world during Kimckel d'Herculais' work in Algeria. 

 It was stated that he had been devoured by a swarm of locusts and so completely 

 devoured that nothing was left but a part of his red necktie. The story was 

 believed in many scientific circles; obituaries were written, and laudatory 

 addresses were given at several scientific societies (the Entomological Society 

 of Washington among others). The story, however, proved to be imaginary, 

 and I saw Kiinckel later many times in France, on one occasion at a dinner 

 at the late Alfred Giard's. Kiinckel was asked to tell the real story. He replied 

 that there was no real story, but that he was immensely gratified on his return 

 to France to read the laudatory things that had been said about him under the 

 supposition that he had died so tragically. 



