72 



An attempted grasshopper scare was put down by a little investiga- 

 tion. Grasshoppers were reported to be in immense numbers in eastern 

 Colorado and overflowing into Kansas. I made a trip to the infested 

 region and found the grasshoppers to be a local species (Dissosteira 

 longipennis), which was in great abundance over about 300 s(iuare 

 miles of country near Arriba, Colo. Of course, no danger to Kansas 

 was to be feared from these locusts. Arriba is 70 miles west of the 

 Kansas line. The limits of the infested area extended apj)roximately 

 from Linion 16 miles east, 9 miles north, 7 miles west, and diagonally 

 southeast to Hugo, 15 miles. Within this area the two favored grasses 

 of the range, buffalo and gramma grass, were eaten to the ground. 

 The swarms when visited (July 17) were almost entirely composed of 

 pupje. Reports agree that the eggs from which these swarms were 

 hatched were deposited last fall by the locusts which tiew into this area 

 in August and September from the south. And by observations during 

 my trip and by regular reports received since then I discovered tLat 

 the locusts as fast as their wings were acquired were flying south. 

 Whenever there was a favoring wind from the north the winged indi- 

 viduals would rise high in the air and fly directly southward, having 

 massed in great numbers along the soutbern boundary of the infested 

 area. When the wind was from the south, however, no flying would 

 be indulged in. 



The rate of progress of the army of immature locusts was northward 

 at the rate of 9 miles in about two weeks; eastward at the rate of 

 2.J miles in 12 days. Over the face of the country traversed by the 

 hosts the ground looked bare and brown, owing to the almost com- 

 plete destruction of the grass leaves. When the devouring multitudes 

 were at work upon the grass the noise of the grinding of their jaws 

 was distinctly audible as a well-defined crackling sound. About the 

 station of Limon the hogs of the town were fattening ujion the locusts, 

 which also furnished food for turkeys, chickens, and hawks. 



