48 



permanent hatching grounds. That they prefer the elevated sandy- 

 plateaus and terraces in the mountain districts is certain; that any 

 particular localities form the permanent hives from which the swarms 

 issue cannot be maintained. Yet that those which visit Kansas and 

 Nebraska, and even Dakota and Minnesota, originate usually within 

 a certain portion of the mountain region or plains of Montana, Wyo- 

 ming or British America, appears highly probable. While there are 

 some exceptions to the rule, yet it is evident that the general course 

 of their flights east of the mountains is southeast. The distance 

 traveled by any particular swarm, so far as I am aware, has never 

 been positively ascertained, yet enough is known to indicate that 

 this may extend for at least two or three hundred miles. The 

 hordes which visited Colorado in 1864 are supposed by Col. Byers to 

 have originated in Montana, along the Yellowstone; and the swarm 

 which I traced through Sweet Water Valley probably traveled over 

 200 miles ; yet the evidence is not positive in either case, though 

 strongly presumptive. Now let us examine briefly the history and 

 character of their migrations in the Mississippi Valley, and see what 

 important facts bearing upon the question of a preventive can be as- 

 certained, and especially as to the places from which individual 

 hordes which visit this region take their departure. 



But first I desire to present a few facts in regard to the Eastern 

 locust — OEdipsda migratoria — as indicative of what we might probably 

 expect here. The earlier invasions of Europe by this species are al- 

 ways said to be from Arabia or the interior of Asia, as, for example, 

 the horde which visited Silesia in 1542, the regions around Milan in 

 1556, and of Marsaeilles in 1613. But as observations began to be 

 more exact and the records more perfect, we hear of intermediate sta- 

 tions and less extensive single marches ; for example the invasion of 

 Hungary and Germany in 1693 is said to have beeri from Thrace, and 

 the great European invasion, 1749-50, was the result of several steps ; 

 in 1747-48, it was stated they came from Turkey into Wallachia, 

 Moldavia, Transylvania and Hungaria; from thence in 1749, they 

 passed into Austria, Bavaria, and other parts of Germany, and from 

 thence in 1750, reached the Marck of Brandenburg. But beyond 

 Thrace in the one case, and Turkey in the other, nothing is known of 

 their progress. I am aware that seemingly well attested instances of 

 their flight from three to five hundred miles from shore are given ; 

 and also the very common statement of their passage across the Med- 

 iteranean, but Hasselquist and also Zinnani, who lived at Venice. 

 deny the truth of the latter statement, and the leading Orthoptorolo- 

 gist of Europe was unable to correct them, if wrong, as late as 1853. 



It may therefore be possible if we can trace the swarms which 

 visit Kansas and Nebraska to their hatching grounds, we will find 

 them not so far distant as is now generally supposed. As bearing on 

 this point I give the following facts and statements, partly from the 

 full records of Mr. Walsh, Professor Riley, the Agricultural Reports 

 of Kansas, and Agricultural Department at Washington, and from my 

 own knowledge, etc. 



It appears from the Canada Farmer, as quoted in Riley's report, that 

 in 1857 they visited the Assiniboine settlement in Manitoba. Now 

 by turning to Mr. Taylor's account of the locusts, as given in the 



