300 ORTIIOPTERA OF NOVA SCOTIA. PIERS. 



Sable Island is an illustration of what havoc the latter species 

 is capable of doing. Were it possible to calculate the damage 

 done by these two locusts, we would be somewhat astounded. 

 I do not believe, however, that any of our species do quite 

 as much injury as in more southern regions, possibly owing 

 to the comparative severity of some of our winters which is 

 apt to destroy many eggs. Even under favourable conditions 

 for their increase, they are so subject to the attack of para- 

 sites and other enemies, as well as the influence of various 

 climatic changes, that their natural increase is restricted. 

 Were it otherwise we would have to regard some of the locusts 

 as a very much more serious pest than they are in Nova Scotia. 

 In the case of femur-ruhrum it is also fortunate that the 

 species is not a migratory one, whereas M. atlanis is sub- 

 migratory. M. P. Somes, however, has observed in Minne- 

 sota (Acridiidse of Minn., Bulletin 141, Agric. Exp. Station, 

 Minn., p. 85^ 1914) that daring dry summers the majority 

 of specimens of M. femur-rubrum had longer wing-covers 

 than normal, and in many cases fully as long, relatively, as 

 in M. atlanis, accompanied with an instinctive inclination 

 for more extended flights late in the summer; which led him 

 to wonder if a prolonged series of dry seasons might not 

 produce a more nearly migratory form in these two species, 

 especially in the case of M. atlanis which would then become 

 almost identical in this respect with the very destructive 

 Rocky Mountain Locust, M. spretus, which in the past has 

 done millions of dollars worth of damage in the western 

 United States. 



As to remedial measures, ploughing to a depth of at 

 least six inches in late autumn or very early spring, will more 

 deeply bury many of the egg-pods and so prevent the young 

 escaping to the surface in the spring. The following poisoned 

 bait has been successfuly employed in eastern Canada, but 

 should be used with caution on pastures where cattle feed 

 or where fowls are apt to roam: Poisoned Bran, — bran, 20 



