24 Contagious Diseases of the Chinch-bug. 
For the most part, bugs were found in dense tufts of prairie- 
grass, at the very bases of the tufts, and in the shelter formed 
where the old grass lay matted closed tothe ground. Asarule, 
the bugs were mostly at the surface of the ground, although 
sometimes they were found in the axils of the grass blades. 
Generally, where the surface of the ground was irregular, they 
were found in the upper, drier parts of the furrows. Bugs were 
found in other places also; among leaves and other rubbish 
under hedges, under stones, among leaves in the woods, and in 
similar places. They were found in comparatively few in- 
stances in corn-stalks, whether standing in the field or in the 
shock, and they were very rarely found hibernating in green 
wheat. 
The hibernating places were, as a rule, near cultivated fields, 
but not necessarily near a place where the bugs were numer- | 
ous during the preceding summer. In one locality in Coffey 
county, bugs hibernated in large numbers during the winter of 
1895-’96, and were plentiful in the same shelters in November, 
1896 ; but an examination of the vicinity in June, 1896, showed 
no bugs in the corn, oats or crab-grass growing near by. 
There seems to be little hope in most Kansas localities of ma- 
terially reducing the numbers of chinch-bugs by burning grass 
and other rubbish in early spring, even though there should be 
concerted action on the part of many farmers. There is so much 
uncultivated ground, and so many localities furnish shelter for 
the bugs, that it would be difficult to burn over so much space, 
even if it could be done without danger to property. It is proba- 
ble, too, that many bugs would survive the burning. One lo- 
cality was examined in December, 1895, and February, 1896, and 
the numbers of hibernating bugs noted. This place was again 
examined in April, 1896, after the thick grass had been burned 
off, and many bugs were found there still, in places next to 
the ground, where the fire had not penetrated thoroughly. 
Throughout the whole hibernating season very few dead bugs 
were found among those hibernating. In one case an areaof a 
few square inches of ground, with the bugs on it as they were 
found hibernating, was carefully examined, and out of ninety- 
five bugs, ninety-two were living and three dead. A less mild 
winter than that of 1895-’96 might, of course, give different 
results. 
~ 
