LOCUST EECORD IN TEXAS. 57 



died in immense numbers wherever they hatched, and comparatively 

 few lived to acquire wings. South of the parallel of 40^ they flew, late 

 in May and early in, June, in a general northwest and northerly course j 

 and from Minnesota and Iowa many took flight to Dakota and Montana, 

 whence their progenitors came, and others remaining behind flew about 

 irregularly in the States of Minnesota and Iowa. 



The outlook for 1878 is excellent j but still there may be light swarms 

 from the northwest if the season is favorable. We will now give a more 

 detailed history of locust invasions in the different States and Territories. 



THE LOCUST IN TEXAS. 



The list of locusfcyears in Texas is rather a formidable one. The 

 earliest year recorded is 1845. 



1845. — We have accounts from various sources of their swarming in 

 Texas this year. (Riley^s seventh report.) 



1847. — Mr. S. J. P. McDowell states that locusts made their appear- 

 ance in Caldwell County October 1, 1847, and remained during the fall, 

 but did little damage. The county officials of Caldwell County have 

 kept in their county records a diary of the appearance of the grass- 

 hoppers in that county since their first appearance, in 1847. 



1849. — Eiley states, also, that there are various accounts of locusts 

 in Texas this year. 



1854. — About ten or fifteen miles, as near as we can calculate, from 

 Fort Belknap, April i^5, 1854, locusts were observed by the members of 

 Captain (now General) Pope's expedition, as it is stated that "the whole 

 section of country is covered over with grasshoppers in countless 

 myriads. They were very troublesome, and at night they completely 

 filled our tents. They appear to be going south; and if they do so, in- 

 creasing in strength and numbers, an incalculable amount of injury will 

 be inflicted on the farmer. The day was remarkably warm." (J. H. 

 Byrne's Diary of Capt. John Pope's Expedition, Pacific Eailroad Sur- 

 veys, vol. ii, Appendix A, p. 87.) 



1855. — Mr. Taylor, in his article in the Smithsonian Eeport for 1858, 

 states that locusts this year infested " those portions of the State of 

 Texas which resemble in physical characteristics Utah and California." 

 We have, however, been unable to obtain any corroborative data, ex- 

 cept the statement of Mr. Eeveschon ; but the fact that he states that 

 they were in Texas in the following year is confirmatory of his state- 

 ment. 



1856. — Locusts are said to have existed in Texas in small numbers 

 this year. (Taylor.) Mr. Eeveschon writes that "I came into this 

 [Dallas] county in February, 1856. The fall previous a great number 

 of grasshoppers made their appearance," and destroyed a field of thirty 

 acres. 



1857. — Kovember 6, locusts appeared in Caldwell County, coming 



