62 



ward. Some species of locusts and a few signs of their injuries were 

 still occasionally apparent, even as far as Ilaigler, Nebr. Here a 

 halt of over a day was made. A -comparison of the conditions as 

 found here this year with those of a year ago showed a great improve- 

 ment. Possibly only half as many of the insects were present this 

 year as last, and these were pretty Avell bunched in certain weed 

 patches and alfalfa fields located in the valley near the river, whereas 

 last year they were quite generally distributed. Beyond Haigler but 

 few locusts were found in hurtful nimibers, indicating that this local- 

 ity is almost on the western boundary line of the plague. From Wi'ay, 

 Colo., all the way to Denver, their numbers seemed to have dwindled 

 to normal, or even below. At least, such appeared to be the condition 

 along the line of the Burlington Kailway. In fact, as nearly as I 

 was able to ascertain, this condition prevails throughout most of 

 Colorado east of the Rocky Mountains, save perhaps in two or three 

 isolated localities in the valleys of the Arkansas and South Platte 

 rivers near the State line. The diminution in their numbers appears 

 to be due chiefly to fungous diseases and natural enemies, both of 

 which seem to have been abnormally effective during the past two or 

 three years. 



All of the region lying along the eastern base of the range between 

 Denver and Fort Collins was at this time remarkably free from these 

 insects. None whatever were seen while riding between the two 

 cities named, although a careful watch was kept throughout the 

 journey, and an inquiry at tlie agricultural college located at the 

 latter place elicited the information that hoppers were scarce in Colo- 

 rado, while few or no reports had been received the present season 

 concerning their presence or ravages. 



Going east from Fort Collins, a few of the insects, it was learned, 

 were to be found in and about alfalfa fields in the vicinity of 

 Greeley. Northward from Greeley to Cheyenne, Wyo., no species of 

 grasshoppers were seen in abnormal numbers. Nor were they found 

 to be present along the Union Pacific Railroad between Cheyenne 

 and Laramie in sufficient numbers to be noticeable. At Laramie few 

 individuals of any species were to be seen, although several trips 

 were made for the special purpose of obtaining specimens. Professor 

 Buffum, director of the experiment station, who does the entomolog- 

 ical work in that State, also informed me that, so far as he knew, 

 similar conditions prevailed over much of the State of Wyoming. 



Leaving Laramie and proceeding eastward over the LTnion Pa- 

 cific Railway, no grasshopper signs were visible at any point between 

 Cheyenne and North Platte. It was ascertained by inquiry that 

 although considerable injury had been done by locusts for sev- 

 eral years, and even as recently as the year 1903, they appeared 

 to have dwindled to such an extent that this year they were not 



