PACKARD] THE LOCUST IN UTAH. 603 



the fruit-trees to sncb an extent as to injure the fruit. From Dr. A. T. McDonald, of 

 Provo City, I learned the foilowiug particulars iu regard to the incursions of this in- 

 sect into the Territory : That the i»revailingc()ld and winter storms are from the north- 

 west, but that the grasshoppefs seldom come from that direetion. On the contrary, 

 they generally come from the northeast, through the canons, being brought in by the 

 local currents which sweep through these mountain openings, and that tliey generally 

 pass otf iu a southwest direction, though the swarms that come iu oiteu remain and 

 deposit their eggs, from which another brood arises in the s[>ring. Sometimes, atfer a 

 swarm has departed to the southwest, the wind changes, and they are driven back to 

 be swallowed up in the lake or perish iu the valley. The tiuie of coming varies from 

 the middle of May to the middle of August. The eggs that are def)osite(l here usually 

 hatch out iu April and May. The growing crops receive their greatest injury from the 

 young which are hatched in the valley. The usual meihod of lighting these young 

 goruuinds is to drive them into the irrigating ditches, where they arc drowutd in the 

 water. When they are a little older they are often checked by scattering straw along 

 the edge of the ditches, and driving them into it early iu the morning, and then tiring 

 it; those which are not destroyed by the tire being caught in the water of the ditch 

 and drowned. But these methods of combatiug them are practicable only when they 

 are in the larvtB and pupa states. 



Dr. McDonald says that in Utah, at least, the females deposit their eggs in the ground 

 in sacks — a fact heretofore noticed and published — on the gravelly elevated plateaus, 

 or foot-hills. And from my observations tbis season I am inclined to agree with him 

 iu the opinion that these elevated table-lands, which are composed of coarse sand aud 

 gravel, and but slightly covered with vegetation, are the principal hateliiuggronnds 

 of the migratory swarms. The local broods are to be foun<l all over the Rocky Mdunt- 

 ain regiou, from Raton Mountains as far north as I have been, and as far west, at least, 

 as Salt Luke Valley. These are found hatching out in the grassy valleys and broad 

 plains of the lower lands aud np the mountain canons almost to the snow limits. And 

 these broods appear to have little or uo connection with the migrating broods; but 

 the solution of these questions will require more extended observations by thoi-.e who 

 can distinguish the species. 



I jilso extract from Mr. Thomas's remarks on the same subject iu Hay- 

 deu's Keport on the Geology of Montana, 1871, p. 451: 



Calopienits sjyrefus. — Found the past season [1871] in great abundance in the north 

 part ot Salt Lake Basin. When wc reached Ogden, June 1, I saw but very few speci- 

 mens; but when we reached Box Elder Canon, two weeks later, the larvae were seen 

 bpreading out from points where they had evideutly been hatched. When we passed 

 tnrough the hills to Cache Valley, a few miles farther, and but a few days later, I 

 found them just entering their perfect state. By the time we reached the north end 

 of the valley, about the 20th of June, they were taking wing and inoceediug south- 

 ward. Here the farmers, who have observed ihem closely for a number of .\ ears, say 

 that they never lay their eggs iu the lower level of the valley, but universally on the 

 gravelly elevated terraces. So positive are they on this point that one farmer, to test 

 the matter, last year ottered $5 for every bunch of eggs that could be found on the 

 lower valley level which had been deposited there by the insect itself, but none were 

 brought to him. I think, therefore, we may conclude that it is pretty well settled that 

 The usual hatching-grounds of the destructive swarms are on the giavelly terraces or 

 uplands. Yet that considerable numbt rs are hatched in the narrow canous of the mo<l- 

 erately-elevated mountains I think is also certain, as J observed this year a largennm- 

 ber of larvte in Box Elder Canon ; but the elevation of this canon is little, if any, more 

 'than that of Cache Valley. When I returned to Salt Lake Basin, early in August, I 

 found the country swarming with myriads of these grasshoppers. And even alter wo 

 had j)iissed eastward on the railroad, to the heights near Aspen St.Uiou, I noticed the 

 air tilled with their snowy wings, but could not tell exactly the course they weie tak- 

 ing, but thought they were moving southwest. 



The following statements, which are quoted nearly word for word, are 

 made by W.Woodruff and A. M. Musser in a Mormon paper. The locust 

 appeared in Utah iu the year 1855, and again tioiu 180G to 187i5, inclu- 

 sive. In 1855 they came froiu the west, in 18GG from the north. The 

 subsequent years' products were produced from eggs, while relays came 

 from all directions. They hatched out from April to June, aud in 1855 

 aud 1872 left in August and September, Hying north and east, iu dense 

 clouds obstructing the sunlight. In 1855 foreign swarms came about 

 July, in 1866 about September, aud deposited eggs. 



In 18.55 about 75 per cent, of the cereals, vegetables, and fruits were destroyed by 

 them. The following spring the people subsisted largely on thistle, milkweed, aud 

 other roots. 



