﻿152 EIGHTH ANNUAL REPORT 



that line (7th Rep., 165). But we had no reports of swarms passing 

 over the country to the Northwest or the northwest part of Illinois, 

 prior to their occurrence in the middle counties, and I felt so confident 

 that the swarms were composed of indigenous species, that I so stated 

 my belief in the Chicago Evening Journal of September 9th, and ex- 

 pressed the opinion that they had originated within the borders of 

 the State; that there was no occasion for alarm, and that they 

 would scarcely be heard of after they settled. These opinions were 

 subsequently justified by the facts; for after taking every pains to 

 ascertain the truth, all specimens from such flights examined by com- 

 petent persons proved to be indigenous species. We heard nothing 

 of their ravages or of their rising again and passing over the country 

 to the south or east. Moreover, their flight seems to have been irreg- 

 ular and poorly sustained. Mr. H. P. Beach, County Judge of Ford 

 county, Ills., in sending me specimens, writes, September 15 : 



About ten days ago myriads of grasshoppers flew southward over town. Many 

 of them came down evidently unable to keep up the journey. They seemed to be 

 all the way from a hundred feet, to a quarter or half a mile high, or perhaps very much 

 higher. In looI\ing up towards the sun — the only way they could be seen, — the appear- 

 ance was much like that of a snow-storm looked at in the same way. We have not 

 heard from them since, and of course can give you no idea from "whence they cometh 

 and whither they goeth." 



Mr. B. F. Johnson, the Champaign (Ills.) correspondent of the 

 Country Gentleman., and who has most persisted in believing the 

 swarms to have been composed of the Rocky Mountain species,* also 

 in speaking of these flights, writes to that paper (Sept. 16) : 



When first seen their movements and motions were so unlike what I had con- 

 ceived their flights to be, that it was not till several disabled or partially exhausted in- 

 sects had been caught,and their identity with the Kansas species demonstrated, that I was 

 convinced of their true character. I had supposed that these creatures tlew in a man- 

 ner as pigeons and ducks and geese do — straiglit ahead in a given direction and with a 

 purpose. On the contrary, every insect seemed to be out on a holiday and acting inde- 

 pendently of all the others. While the vast mass slowly moved south with an inclina- 

 tion toward the east, there was a constant circular movement of a vast majority of the 

 whole number of individuals. * * * When it got noised abroad 



that they were flying, the fact produced a startling sensation. Would they increase in 

 nuinbers till the sun was darkened and then descend and devour up every green thing, 

 and leave eggs for a progeny behind them that would repeat the disaster next summer? 

 These tears were speedily dispelled when their numbers were seen to diminish, and 

 when it was considered that all the grasshoppers which had passed over, did they come 

 down could make but small impression on the ten thousand square miles of corn in 

 Central Illinois. 



Actual examination of specimens from these flying bevies over 

 Illinois, shows them to have been composed of three species, viz : the 



* Country Gentleman, Sept. 16,12, Oct. 7, Nov. 11 and Nov. 25. Mr. Johnsou cannot be blamed 

 for supposing these flights to have been composed of spretus, since considerable experience with this 

 last and some discriminating knowledge are necessarj' to distinguish it from the common indigenous 

 species, and especially from Atlanis. Neither c;ui he be praised for the manner in which he has dis- 

 dained the evidence in the case ; for evading the real question by poor Avit (C. O., Nov. 2.i) ; nor for 

 suppressing in a conti-oversy in which he challenged my own views, some facts and ai-guments which I 

 submitted to him by private letter, in answer to his last public communications on the subject. 



