ORTHOPTERA OF NOVA SCOTIA. PIERS. 299 



also taken it in Lunenburg County. About Truro, Col. Co., 

 Gooderham repoits it as common, whereas he says M. atlanis 

 is there more abundant, the conditions being the reverse of 

 those about Halifax. It is found in large numbers in pastures 

 and meadows, where it scatters in all directions from the feet 

 of a passer-by; and also along roadsides. It avoides dense 

 herbaceous thickets and woodland, and favours open grass- 

 lands and clover fields, and ver3'^ often such as are quice dry. 

 Large numbers seen about short sparsely-bladed grass, sug- 

 gest that they have destroyed the herbage in such cases. 

 About Windsor, Hants Co. and Kentville, Kings Co., I 

 have observed it on the diked meadows. When disturbed 

 it either hops away or else flies swiftly and noselessly ahead 

 for some distance and then ilrops to the grass again. 



It occurs in the perfect state from the first to the latter 

 part of July, according to locality (7 July, 1915, and 9 July, 

 1914, Truro; 31 July, 1917, Hubbards), until about 24 

 October (20 Oct., 1895, 24 Oct., 1897, and several 28 Oct., 

 1917 Halifax), although in October, particularly in the latter 

 part, it is much less frequently seen. Its last appearance is 

 a month after the first hoar-frost which usually occurs 

 throughout the province about 20 September, and a little 

 after the first hard frost which generally occurs about 16 

 October. Thus hard frosts soon terminate its existence. 

 It, M. atlams, M. extremus, and Chorihippus curtipennis, _ 

 are the earliest of our species to be met with in the adult 

 state, exclusive of the hibernating Grouse Locusts (AcrydiincB). 



This species, like the closely related M. atlanis, is one 

 of the most destructive locusts in Nova Scotia. About Hali- 

 fax, because of its predominate numbers, it is probably the 

 one which does the most damage in our fields; whereas in 

 the western part of the province, the sub-migratory atlams, 

 owing to its reported prevalence there, would be entitled 

 to that unenviable reputation. The capabilities of atlams 

 to do injury are probably the greater. The onslaught on 



