- 28 — 



Among shade trees the Paraíso and eucal3-ptus sulier little 

 or no defoliation. In fact the former seems to be poisonous to 

 them. If they eat of the leaves daring the night they ma}- 

 usually be found lying dead on the ground in the morning. 

 Broom-corn, kaffir-corn and sorghum are but partially injured, 

 and then only by the voladoras as they chance to be resting on 

 these plants during the day or night. Melons, — water and 

 nutmeg, as well as cantaloupe and musk — are not liked by 

 them. In fact none of the cucurbs seem to be favorite food- 

 plants of theirs. Even the wild (gourd-like) pumpkin of the 

 pampas is ignored b}^ them. It is also quite noticeable that a 

 great many of the native weeds are untouched in their almost 

 general attacks upon the balance of the vegetation in any 

 region. The milk-weeds appear to be especially exempt, as is 

 also the plant known here as " Romarillo " or " mio-mio "', and 

 which is said to kill sheep and cattle if eaten by them. Others 

 of the weeds are, however, chief among the plants eaten b}'- the 

 locusts. No order or even family of plants seems to be entirely 

 exempt, for some forms of each are chosen b_v the pest as 

 suitable for food. 



After the grains and more tender and sweeter of the grasses 

 come the leaves of such trees as the locust, willow, poplar, 

 peach, plum, pear, the various acacias and most other thorny 

 kinds, which latter classification would include about all the 

 native forms. Garden plants, too, sul'fer to some extent, but are 

 not so greedily eaten by this insect as by some of the other 

 locusts of the countr}^ that are known as " tucuras ". The sweet 

 potato and yams seem to be exempt, while the tomato and 

 ordinary potato are not great favorites of theirs. 



A reference to figures 7 and 8, which are of the same quinta 

 in the immediate vicinity of Bahia Blanca, will give the reader 

 some idea of our locusts' tastes. These photographs were taken 

 only a few days apart and from exactly the same spot. In the 

 meanwhile the voladora locusts had been there to feed. 



Habits of Saltona. —The saltonas, or "mosquitos" as they 

 are generally called when first hatched, have the habit of gath- 

 ering in bunches on the bare ground, about the bases of 

 various plants, or even creeping up the latter in such numbers 

 as to completely cover them. This latter habit is commoner 

 during cool, cloudy weather and late in the afternoon when 

 preparing for spending the night. Wliere it is at all possible 

 for them to do so they invariabh^ "roost" at night above the 

 ground. 



