216 HANDBOOK OF NATURE STUDY 



about five times. Swarms bred in regions which are only 

 temporarily infested direct their flight towards the north or 

 northwest. Swarms which come from the Rocky Moun- 

 tains, of course move south and southeast. Winged locusts 

 travel from thirty to thirty-five miles a day on the average, 

 but with a high wind they may attain a speed of fifty miles 

 an hour. 



Most of the locusts found in the Northern States deposit 

 their eggs as described for the Rocky Mountain species, and 

 the habits of the other migratory kinds are very similar to 

 the species described. 



To the natural enemies of the grasshoppers belong many 

 parasitic and predaceous insects. Nearly all birds, as well 

 as skunks, shrews, gophers, toads, snakes, and turtles, feast 

 on them. 



For artificial means of checking locust plagues, see the literature 

 mentioned above. 



Birds seen in the Field 



Those of the boys who work in the field in summer and 

 fall are well acquainted with the Prairie Hen ; they recog- 

 nize their " booming " in the spring ; they occasionally find 

 their eggs and young ; but even the girls, who possibly stay 

 at home more than they ought to, have heard Bob White, the 

 quail, when he was calling on a fence post near the front 

 door. And the poor city folks who never found time to 

 leave the big town and see a field of growing wheat, and 

 who have become so highly educated that they find far 

 more beauty in shop-window displays than in trees and 

 flowers, can see thousands of prairie hens and quails on 

 the market during the shooting season. But there is 

 another bird which we see so often on our walks through 



Observations. Visit such stations if you have an opportunity. 



