JI0.1124. h'i-:i isioy nr the MELASiH'Li—scuhht:i:. 353 



(Srnitli); Posey ami Gibson conntit's, Tiuliana (Webster); western Ken- 

 tucky (Garnian); Mercer i'ounty. Illinois iTiioniasi; Ir(M|uois County, 

 Illinois (Iiileyi; Jacks(ui County, Illinois Tlioinas): western Iowa 

 (liruner); Buchanan and Nodaway counties. Missouri < )sborn): Shaw- 

 nee, Labette, and I)ari)er counties, Kansas (Brunei); Hamilton County, 

 Kansas (Bruner, Kellogjj^); Indian Territory fBruner); Brown and 

 AVashin<,^ton counties, Texas (Biley); (Irand .lunctioii. Mesa County, 

 C(>loradof Bruner I ; Lincoln County, Nevatla (Kiley); Arizona (Bruner); 

 and 8an Joa(|uin Valley, California (Coipullett). 



It ajjpears from this that it inhabits the Mississippi Valley from as 

 far north as latitude 43' to the (iulf, and the re«;ion to the west as far 

 as tlie racitic, from a somewhat lower latitude to central Mexico. I 

 do not think it occurs above (»,(l()0 feet. One can not but question the 

 accuracy of the statement that it occurs in New .Jersey,' as it has never 

 been reported el>ewhere east of the Allejihanies, and if foun<l there 

 would als«) occur farther south; so laige an insect and so distinct from 

 others found there would hardly have escaped n«)tice by entomolo«;ists 

 of the eastern seaboard in Maryland and Virginia. 



The oviposition and arranjiement of eggs in the egg ca]»sule of this 

 insect, as well as its parasites, are described by Biley in the lirst Beport 

 of the Cnited States Kntomological Commission, and with its life his- 

 tory are later summarized by him, as follows: — 



In the vittuity of St. Louis, Missouri, tin- lirst specinicns of this locust w«>re 

 olisorved to Uecoiiie wiii<;«'(l .Inly 19. K<;«f» wi-re lai«l Septmilici- !». As a 'Icviation 

 from the usual e{;;i-layiii<; habits of the v;*'i»"s . . . th«* e^gs are sonietiines very 

 numerously jilaced under 1»ark of lojj> that have been felled ou lov lan<ls. The eg<;8 

 of this sjiecies, unlike those of Hpntiin, atl((nix and It miir-riihriiiii, are not (juadri- 

 linearly but irrei^ularly arranjjed. . . . The head »iids of the egjrs in the pod point 

 mostly outward. < >ne hundred and seveury-live eggs have been couuteti in a single 

 mass. • 



Mr. Coquillett has made some interesting observations [in California]. . . . They 

 atiiuirt'd \vin<fs from the last week in .luue to the last wt-ek in .lulv and began lav- 

 ing eggs .Inly US. A single female occnpit'd 7."» minutes in (b'positing an egg-mass. 

 The situation chosen for egg laying was invariai)Iy thf edge of one of the basin-like 

 hollows [for irrigation?] at the foot of a tree. This locust is not easily startled, 

 and its ordinary tiight is rather heavy, and sustained only for a distance of 12 to 20 

 feet. 



According to Thomas and Biley, this insect is occasionally seen fly- 

 ing at considerable heights and apparently migrating, though these are 

 rare occurrences. It certainly is occasionally one of the most destruc- 

 tive pests in the West, particularly in Kansas, Missouri and Illinois, 

 and it has been noted as injuring grass, alfalfa, Indian corn, beets, 

 orchard trees, mulberry, poplar and catali)a trees, and even grape 

 vines; also dahlias, hollyhocks and other garden flowers have been 

 sj)ecitied as its food, not to mention the rag weed, Amhrosia h-ifida. 



'Since this was sent to the printer I have seen specimens from Camden County, 

 New Jersey, in the collection of the American Entomological Society. 



Proc. N. M. vol. XX 23 



