dO 
Valley in Louisiana, and were reported by Mr. George W. Arnold, of 
Vanceville, La., as injuring alfalfa. No opportunity was presented 
for a study of its life history and 
habits. 
Field locusts. —In August, Sep- 
tember, and October from among 
the coarse ditch grasses and those 
of swamp and waste places come 
the rasping sounds and almost con- 
tinuous buzz of the field locusts. 
Not much attention has been paid 
to these long-horned grasshoppers 
or locusts. In ordinary seasons they are not prone to wander from the 
ditch banks, but when the differential prevails, they are forced into 
the crops in search of food. In 1898 and 
1899 considerable damage was done. The 
prevalence of a species of Orchelimum may 
be imagined when in certain sections of the 
Delta, particularly near Mound Landing, 
Miss., hundreds of acres of dry cotton stalks 
were found to contain numbers of eggs in 
every branch and twig (see fig. 19 showing 
general appearance of punctured stalks and 
position of exposed eggs). These eggs were 
also found abundant in the tassel stalks of 
corn in widely distributed fields. 
The eggs hatch during the latter part of 
May and continue until June 20. Moisture 
has much influence upon hastening ineuba- 
tion and hatching. In cages the stalks of 
cotton were moistened every few days, and 
after each dampening the young emerged 
more numerously. The exact number of 
molts was not determined. After molting 
the young devour the cast skin and fre- 
quently they have been found devouring 
one another. Maturity is reached very ir- 
regularly owing to the difference in the time 
of hatching and of the variations of devel- 
opment. The form most commonly found we 
upon Dahomy was Orchelimum agile (see yr. PRO of ictiiton seal 
fig. 18). It matures from the middle of — showing punctures and eggs of 
Orchelimum agile (original). 
July until September 1, deposits eges from 
fifteen to thirty days after reaching the adult, and winters in the egg 
condition. In 1899 Orchelimum agile was a veal enemy to cotton, 
Fic. 18.—Field locust (Orchelimum agile) (original). 
re 
SOO, tee ES 
Mice 
