﻿168 SEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT 



seen that the ravages of migratory locusts between the Mississippi 

 and the Rocky Mountains, and probably to the Pacific, are confined to 

 the one, long-winged species, {spretus). " How then," will naturally 

 bs asked, "do you account for the ravages of migratory locusts in the 

 Atlantic States, since swarms have been known in those States to fly 

 over the country and commit sad havoc, and since you tell us that the 

 Red-legged species is incapable of such migrations?" This question, 

 which has never been properly answered, I will now proceed to eluci- 

 date. 



First, as to migrating locusts doing great damage in some of the 

 Eastern States during certain years, there can be no doubt of the 

 fact. Harris, in his Treatise, gives an account extracted from the 

 Travels of President Dwight, wherein they are recored as being most 

 destructive in Vermont in 1797 and 1798, and as collecting in clouds, 

 rising in the air and taking extensive flights — even covering persons 

 employed in raising a church steeple, who, in such position, still saw 

 the insects flying far above their heads. He also quotes from William- 

 son^s History of Maine, that in 1749 and 1754 they were very numer- 

 ous and voracious; that "in 1743 and 3756 they covered the whole 

 country and threatened to devour everything green." Among the 

 communications which I received last Pall was the following, descrip- 

 tive of locust ravages in New Hampshire : 



Dear Sir: I see a note in the New York Tribune requesting those from the Lo- 

 cust regions to send you specimens of the variety. 1 send you a vial of tliera to-day 

 by mail. They have been quite plenty in the Merrimack Valley on some farms. They 

 have eaten all of our garden vegetables ; in others they left us a small share. The 

 small ones are the most plenty and the ones that have done the most mischief. I should 

 like to know it they are of the same variety that infested the West. 



i'ours truly, 



LEWIS COLBY. 

 I50SCAWEK, Merrimack Co., N. H., September 17, 1874. 



The following account by Dr. U. T. True of the appearance of 

 these insects in Cumberland county, Maine, in 1821, is so circumstan- 

 tial that I give it in full, as quoted by Mr. S. H. Scudder :* 



During the haying season the weather was dry and hot, and these hungry locusts 

 stripped the leaves from the clover and herds-grass, leaving nothing but the naked 

 stems. In consequence, the hay-crop was seriously diminished in value. So ravenous 

 had they become that they would attack clover, eating it into shreds. Eake and pitch- 

 fork handles, made of white ash and worn to a glossy smoothness by use, would be 

 found nibbled over by them if left within their reach. 



As soon as the hay was cut and they had eaten every living thing, they removed 

 to the adjacent crops of grain, completely stripping the leaves; climbing the naked 

 stalks they would eat off the stems of wheat and rye just below the head, and leave 

 them to drop to the ground. I well remember assisting in sweeping a large cord over 

 the heads of wheat after dark, causing the insects to drop to the ground, where most 

 of them would remain during the night. During harvest lime it was my painful duty, 



•Hayden's Report on the Geological Survey of Nebraska; and "The Distribution of Insects iu 

 New Hampshire, " p. STri. 



