﻿86 EIGHTH ANNUAL REPORT 



along- hisrh in air by the wind. Fears were entertained that perhaps something might 

 stop their flight, but as yet we hear nothing of their coming nearer than within eye- 

 shot. 



Yanktox Agency, June 28. — The hoppers have come and gone without doing 

 damage. Vast swarms passed over this place to-day going in a northwesterly direc- 

 tion, but happily did not light. 



Fort Sully, June 28 — Light clouds of grasshoppers passed over here to-day 

 moving in a northwesterly direction. They did not light and consequently no damage 

 is reported. 



Fort Randal, June 28. — No damage here from grasshoppers to-day, notwith- 

 standing the air has been full of them flying in the direction of the Whoop- up country. 



Springfield, June 28.— The grasshoppers went over here to-day, evidently head- 

 ing for Montana. We are pleased to say that they didn't stop here for luncheon. 



Mr. Myer also sends me the following interesting observations 

 made at other points in the Territory by the different signal officers : 



Bismarck. — Locusts first made their appearance in the vicinity of this station on 

 June 6, 1875, and infested this district from that time until the date of their final disap- 

 pearance, July 15, 1875. 



They first made their appearance on June 6, 1875, but not in such quantities as to 

 excite remark — coming from west and southwest; with surface wind fresh to brisk 

 from northwest and weather hazy. On June 7th, during the morning, tlieir numbers 

 perceptibly increased, flying from the South, in small swarms, eight or ten feet thick, 

 with the surface wind west and southwest. During the afcernoon with gentle south 

 wind the grasshoppers rose and flew norch ; very few being visible near this station 

 that night. 



On June 8th they returned gradually from the north, and for the first time began 

 to eat the crops, and during the day were reinforced by a light swarm from the south- 

 east — surface wind from west and northwe-?t. Remained during June 9th. eating but 

 little. On June 10th a storm of wind and rain from the east swept over this station, 

 which appears to have dispersed them, very few being seen in this vicinity until June 

 29. On that date, a small swarm, estimated as being about five hundred yards square 

 and from ten to twelve feet thick came from the south, the surface wind being from the 

 northwest. This swarm settled but did no damage that I could hear of, and no more 

 arrived until July 7th. On that day a swarm made its appearance before which the 

 previous visitations sank into insignifiviance. The day was very warm with hazy 

 weather and gentle south winds. At 10 a. m. the locusts were first noticed on the 

 southwest bank of the Missouri river, and in such quantities as to resemble heavy 

 banks of stratus clouds. They passed over this station, without intermission from 10 

 A. M. to 4 p. M , with a peculiar " whirring" noise caused by movement of so many mil- 

 lions of wings. It was almost impossible to estimate tlje extent and thickness of this 

 swarm, extending from twenty feet above the ground, high into the air, probably two 

 hundred feet ; and as far as the eye could reach to any point of the compass, the air was 

 full of the iiiseets. At 4 p. m. they began to settle on the ground and by nightfall the 

 ground was covered with them. 



On the morning of July 8th another swarm estimated to be about half as large as 

 the one mentioned above, came with the surface wind from southwest, and settled on 

 the ground with their predecessors. 



During the 9th and 10th July, the locusts devoured nearly everything green in this 

 vicinity, and inflicted great damagfe to all crops except potatoes, in which the loss was 

 estimated to be 2') percent. Cabbages and turnips were almost wholly destroj-ed. Tlie 

 total damage done to all crops is estimated at GO per cent. — excluding the potato 

 crop. Had all the crops been ripe at this time, a total destruction would no doubt 

 have ensued. 



Aftei- .July lOth, the locusts rapidly became less, many dying and the balance 

 slowly moving north and west; and after July 15th, they had wholly disappeared. 



Yankton. — On June 17 the wind was strong from the east; the locusts 

 were going with it to the west, Oii.Iun('28 tlie wind was moderate from the south. 

 Great swarms of insects were going with it north On .luno 29 the wind was north- 

 east, moderate. A good number of locusts were traveling soutliwest. 



