152 Forty-third Report on the State Museum. [56] 



to overflow. They were at that time not more than one-eighth to 

 one-fourth of an inch long, and then of a rather dark or muddy-green 

 color; a large portion of them changing to a yellow and brown- 

 yellow color as they grew. At the present time, most of them are one 

 to two inches long. Are they the common meadow grasshopper or a 

 new species ? I want information as to whether the same locality 

 or place is likely to be overrun and eaten by them another year, 

 or for a series of years? 



They are very numerous; have totally eaten up hundreds of acres 

 of meadow and pasture, and have done considerable damage to corn 

 and oats. They have eaten eighty acres of meadow so closely for me, 

 that I shall not be able to get one wagon-load of hay. They spread 

 off the low ground, after consuming the grass, to the higher portions 

 of the meadows, and thence to other fields. 



The grasshoppers are the common red-legged species known to 

 science as Melanoplus femur-ruhrum (De Geer), illustration of which 

 is given in Figure 23. It has an extensive distribution throughout 



the United States ranging from the 

 =% Atlantic to the Pacific coasts, and from 

 I British Columbia to Florida and 



-^fes?- Mexico. East of the Mississippi it 

 Fig. 23. -The red-legged locust, occurs more commonly and numerously 

 Melanoplus femur-ruhrum. than any other locust. It is closely 



allied to the destructive siJecies of the Western States — Melanoplus 

 spretus — for the investigation of the history of which, and the dis- 

 covery of means for controlling its ravages, an entomological com- 

 mission was appointed by Congress in the year 1877, and its results 

 published in two large octavo volumes. The two are so much alike 

 that it is thought that they may eventually be accepted as the same 

 species under local modifications — being alike in coloration, and 

 differing mainly in the length of their wings, and form of the 

 terminal segment. 



The ravages of our common eastern species have at times, especially 

 in New England, approximated in certain localities, to those of the 

 dreaded M. spretus of the west. It is quite as voracious — feeding upon 

 every green thing, not excepting tobacco, burdock, etc., and even con- 

 suming clothing, and the rough outer surface of pine boards. It occa- 

 siouallv becomes migratory, collecting in clouds, rising high in the air, 

 and taking long flights. Fortunately, it is of very rare occurrence 

 that they appear in such numbers, as the several conditions needed 

 for their excessive multiplication are seldom combined. 



It by no means follows that a district of country suffering under 

 their visitation the present year, will be infested to the same extent 

 the coming year; it is within the range of possibility that it may be 

 followed by an unusual exemption from attack. The grasshoppers. 



