may hope to prevent the fertile States to tlie east from future calamity. This knovvled|^e 

 can lu'vtu- be ac(nun'il by any single iuilividual. Tlie subject is of national importance, 

 and slioul<l receive the consideration of the National Government. It is not merely the 

 question of saving to the nation, in future, such vast sums of money as this insect has 

 filched from the producers of some of the Western States (amounting during the past 

 three years to many millions of dollars) ; it is a question affecting the welfare of the whole 

 commonwealth on the other side of the Mississippi, and the ultimate settlement of a vast 

 tract of country extending from the base of the Rocky Mountains eastward, to which set- 

 tlement the ravages of the locust in qnestion offer the most serious obstacle." 



We have quoted somewhat fully from Prof liiley's paper, as almost every word of it 

 is just as applicable to the Dominion of Canada and the Province of Manitoba as to the 

 United States and the State of Missouri. 



As a result of the papers of Messrs. LeConte and Riley, the standing Committee of 

 the American Association authorized the circulation, for the signatures of members, of a 

 memorial to the Congress of the United States ; we understand that it was signed by 

 many most influential and distinguished members. 



The text of the memorial will be found in the mtroductory portion of this report. 



Should the Congress of the United States accede to the prayer of this memorial, as 

 we trust tliey will, it is earnestly to be hoped that the Legislature of the Dominion will 

 appoint a similar Commission, to co-operate with that of our neighbours in all matters that 

 concern vast areas of the continent, and not merely particular localities. In the case of 

 the locust, it is evident that an exploration of the British American portion of the Rocky 

 Mountains lying between the 49th and olst parallels of latitude, if not somewhat fuither 

 to the north as well, is urgently needed with a view to the discovery of the native haunts 

 of the insect, or at any rate to the settlement of the question whether it breeds within the 

 limits of our country or not. Much indeed might be done by the addition of a competent 

 entomologist to the staff of the various surveying parties that are from time to time sent 

 out for the settlement of boundaries, and the surveying of railway routes. Should it be 

 discovered that the locusts do deposit their eggs and come to maturity year after year in 

 any special locality on the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains, then it would be a wise 

 expenditure of public money to send a properly equipped party to the haunt of the enemy, 

 and strive by every means to accomplish his extermination. The expenses of such a force 

 would be a thousand times repaid by the saving of the crops and fruits of tin- farm^^rs of 

 Manitoba, and by the removal of what is felt by many to be a serious drawback to the 

 settlement of the Province. Should our neighbours, however, south of the4',)th paralhl, 

 not unite in the endeavour to keep the enemy in control, any labour on our part would be 

 of little avail. Just as a farmer cannot hope to exterminate the thistles from his fields, if 

 those about him allow the weed to scatter its seeds with every wind that blows ; so we 

 cannot hope to free our own territory from recurring plagues of locusts, if the Govern- 

 ment of the United States do not join with us in the work. In any case, however, it will 

 be wise to lose no time in discovering, by careful exploration, whether the insect is in- 

 digenous to British America or not. The settlement of this point will be one great step 

 towards the accomplisiiment of an efficient protection against future invasions. 



Since the above was written we learn that a Bill has been introduced into the Senate 

 of the United States by the Hon. Mr. Ingalls, for the Protection of Agriculture, and that 

 it has been received and referred to a Committee. In tlie introduction of the Bill especial 

 reference was made to thedepredations of locusts, chinch-bugs, army-worms, cotton-worms, 

 the Hessian fly, i^-c. It was stated that the farmers of the IJnited States arc estimated to 

 have s\iffered a loss last year of .|!200,Otl0,0OU by these insects, and that $40,000,000 would 

 hardly cover the loss by locusts alone ; it was further declared that in seven counties of 

 Minnesota 880,000 were expended in destroying 60,00 bushels of locusts. 



The Bill authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to appoint, upon the nomination of 

 the National Academy of Sciences, a Commission, to consist of three eminent entomolo- 

 gists, to serve five years, at a salary of §5,000 per annum each, and to be allowed travel- 

 ling expenses, \-c. They are to devote themselves to the investigation of insects most 

 injurious to the great staples, especially the Rocky Mountain locust, the army- worm, 

 chinch-bug, Hessian Hy and cotton- worm. The results of their labours are to be reported 

 to Congress at least once a year. 



