58 REPORT UNITED STATES ENTOMOLOGICAL COMMISSION. 



from the west, destroying turnips, &c. As we have full information 

 given below regarding the hatching of locusts in Texas, there is good 

 reason to believe that swarms visited the region where the eggs were 

 hatching in 1858 in the previous year more extensively than any pub- 

 lished accounts state. 



1858. — The following facts regarding the ravages of locusts in Western 

 Texas, in 1858, are taken from the Gonzales Inquirer for 1858. The 

 young locusts began to hatch "by the million," January 16, and by the 

 middle of March they had done extensive damage to the wheat and 

 garden crops. March 27, on the San Marcos and Guadalupe Elvers, 

 and on the Sandies, they did great damage to the corn crops and gardens.'^ 

 They seem to have collected together, and are moving in a southward 

 direction, sweeping everything in their route. As yet, they are not 

 more than half grown, and can only travel by the leaping system, their 

 wings not having grown out. Large flocks of birds are not only devour- 

 ing them, but it is said they are actually devouring each other. After 

 doing great damage, April 21-May 8 they flew in a northeast or north- 

 ward course. By May 8, they had mostly disappeared, and almost 

 wholly so by the 15th. So complete and so general has been the de- 

 struction that all the farmers will be compelled to replant. In the 

 spring of 1858, they destroyed our growing crops and took their flight 

 north from 10th to 16th of April. (D. A. Todd, Austin, Tex.) In Cald- 

 well County the young began to disappear about April 20. 



1866. — Locusts appeared in the northwest i^art of Collins County 

 about the 1st of September, destroyed all the wheat that had come up, 

 and then passed on to the southwest. They had nearly disappeared in 

 October. (Monthly Eeport Ag. Dept., 1866, p. 441.) 



1867. — The young hatched in threatening numbers, but a cold snap 

 during the first week in May destroyed them. Nearly a dozen counties 

 were invaded in the autumn. In Dallas County the locust first appeared 

 October 17, the air being filled with them. " They appeared to be coming 

 from the west and traveling east." In October they also appeared in 

 Fannin, Eed Eiver, Bell, Coryell, Lavaca, Burleson, Fayette, Aus- 

 tin, and Lampasas Counties, appearing in the latter county" in im- 

 mense numbers about the first of October, and completely destroyed 

 the autumn and winter gardens, and injured the stock-range materially. 

 They continued with us until the 20th, when they moved on their jour- 

 ney in a southeasterly direction. In Lavaca County they deposited 

 their eggs "by the million." In Coryell County, central Texas, they 

 appeared October 12, "coming in vast quantities from the north," and 

 proved very destructive to grain and garden produce. Mr. Affleck, of 

 Brenbam, states that locusts appeared therein the first week of Novem- 

 ber, " but were announced toward the northwest of us as being on the 

 way some weeks before." They were busy about the first of December 

 depositing their eggs. They appeared at Union Hill, five miles to the 

 west of Mr. Affleck's farm, for a week before appearing at the latter 



