53 



Eggs were quite abundant, and a smaller proportion had been de- 

 stroyed than on the higher ground. One pod contained a living 

 devouring carabid larva, with fragments of eaten eggs and other 

 eggs as yet untouched. Three other larv?e of Carabidse were here 

 found, as also one meloid larva. 



We next visited the upland meadow, consisting of about thirty 

 acres of clover and timothy mixed. The grasshoppers had killed 

 the first crop of clover and the roots were mostly dead, but the 

 timothy was still alive. The egg masses were much less numerous 

 in this field than in the pasture, and a greater proportion had been 

 destroyed. Probably oviposition would here be more difficult than 

 in the pasture, because the ground near the surface was more pen- 

 etrated with the coarse roots and stalks of the timothy and clover ; 

 but the prmcipal reason for the greater scarcity of the eggs is, as 

 suggested by Professor Forbes, in all probability to be found in 

 the fact that the insects would naturally have left this field on ac- 

 count of the cutting of the hay before the time of oviposition. A 

 considerable surface of the meadow Avas plowed and only fifteen or 

 twenty egg masses were found, all but four of which had been more 

 or less destroyed. Several larval and imago Carabidte were col- 

 lected, as also one coarctate larva of Epicauta, and red mites were 

 common. A number of dipterous larvae, which may prey upon the 

 eggs, were also found. The reasons for the comparatively greater 

 destruction in this field are probably that the surface above the 

 egg masses was more porous, allowing enemies easier access, and 

 that the scarcity of the eggs necessitated the concentration 

 of the destructive forces. 



SITUATION OF THE EGGS. 



In order to determine whether the eggs were ever laid in corn 

 fields, a point of considerable importance in considering methods of 

 destruction, a thorough search was made in various parts of the 

 corn fields where the locusts had been destructive, resulting in the 

 discovery of a single egg mass which had been destroyed by enemies. 

 Mr. Davis stated that he had seen an instance where a grasshopper 

 was depositing eggs in the corn field, but he believed it to be a rare 

 occurrence. Hence it seems safe to conclude that practically the 

 number of eggs deposited in corn fields is not sufficient to be of 

 any account. An oat field on which the locusts had been very 

 numerous, though leaving it soon after the crop was harvested, was 

 also examined, but no eggs were found. 



IN KXOX COUiNTY. 



On November 26, acting under Prof. Forbes's directions, I visited 

 the farm of Mr. Sisson, at Galesburg. The farm consists of 320 

 acres of slightly rohing land, mainly devoted to pastures, meadow, 

 corn, and oats. The grasshoppers were very numerous during the 

 summer, injuring oats to an amount estimated at 20 bushels per acre. 

 The stand of clover in the oat stubble was also considerably dam- 

 aged, and in spots entirely killed. Corn was injured somewhat, 

 especially along the edges, but the damage was much less serious 



