CHAPTER VIII 



•Tucuras" or Non-migratory Locusts. 



There are several other locusts, besides the migratory one, 

 which occasionally become sufficiently numerous to injure 

 crops and pastures. These are known by the local name of "tu- 

 cura" which simply means "grasshopper." Unlike the para- 

 neiisis, which has been described in the main part of this report, 

 these tucuras are non-migratory. Hence they always remain 

 at the same place year after year, and therefore might be 

 termed "native" grasshoppers or locusts in distinction to "mi- 

 gratory" ones. 



These tucuras differ greatly one from the other just as the}' 

 do from the migratory insect of the country. Some of them 

 are large, others medium-sized, and still others quite small. 

 The}^ likewise differ one from the other in wing-length, in form 

 and in general color. When climatic conditions are favorable 

 to their increase and remain so for two or more years these 

 insects become quite numerous locally. At such times more 

 or less damage is done by them. 



Although each region possesses its peculiar species of these 

 tucuras, a few of them are more generally distributed than 

 the others on account of their more hardy nature. 



At least eight of these destructive tucuras have come to 

 the writer's notice during the comparativel}^ short time spent 

 here in the Republic. No doubt there are others also which 

 should be included among these occasionally destructive lo- 

 custs. In fact, it would be well to at least list all of the mem- 

 bers of the locust-family which are to be found in the country, 



