OBSERVATIONS ON THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN LOCUST DURING THE 
SUMMER OF 1883. 
By LAWRENCE BRUNER.* 
WASHINGTON, D.C., October 30, 1883. 
Sir: Herewith I submit to youa report of my trip through the Rocky 
Mountain region during the past summer, made for the purpose of 
studying insects injurious to agriculture, but more especially for the 
purpose of obtaining such data as would enable me to foretell the proba- 
ble aspect of the locust question for the year 1884. 
According to instructions, I left here on the 3d of May, and proceeded 
to my home at West Point, Nebr., where I procured an assistant and 
completed my preparations for the trip... From there we first proceeded 
to Albuquerque, N. Mex., via the Union Pacific and the Atchison, 
Topeka and Santa Fé Railroads, where we made a short stay, obtaining 
such data as we could relative to locusts and other insects injuring 
grain, vegetables, and fruits. Upon our arrival there we found the sea- 
son very backward and ail kinds of insects quite scarce; hence, after a 
few days’ collecting, we proceeded northward to the Taos Valley, a rich 
farming district, where we spent almost two weeks gathering such data 
as we could concerning various insects. In these efforts we were much 
inconvenienced by the prevalence of small-pox in the various villages 
thronghout the valley, and on account of the backwardness of the sea- 
son, as well asthe extreme ignorance of the natives in general upon 
questions relative to insect life. We did, however, succeed in obtain- 
ing some data in reference to the migratory locust (Caloptenus. spretus) 
during the years of invasion. We also procured a small series of some 
of the insects found here in early spring. 
Upon leaving Taos Valley we proceeded northward by wagon to Fort 
Garland, Colo., crossing on the way several small valleys in which farm- 
ing is the chief occupation of the inhabitants. Here, too, we encoun- 
tered the difficulties experienced while at Taosand neighboring villages, 
at times finding it difficult to obtain even the necessities of life. At 
Fort Garland we were detained several days on account of the sickness 
of my assistant. While here, the weather was quite cold and the post 
*Mr. Bruner’s instructions were, in brief, to make all necessary preparations at his home in West 
Point, Nebr., and thence to proceed directly to South Colorado and New Mexico, spending a week or 
more in the Taos Valley. Thence he was instructed to return north by way of Fort Steele, and work 
into the Big Horn country, eventually striking the Northern Pacific Railroad and proceeding to Fort 
Buford, and thence directly home. 
The chief object of the trip was to ascertain all facts relating to Caloptenus spretus in the country 
indicated that would enable him to make a report as to the prospects for 1884, and also to collect facts 
upon insects injuriously affecting any cultivated crop in the settled portion of the region traversed. 
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