72 REPORT UNITED STATES ENTOMOLOGICAL COMMISSION. 



line 4 miles west of Abilene, in Dickinson County, and about 150 miles west of Kansas 

 City. Observing end inquiring at tbe stations in this 30-mile belt, I invariably learned 

 that the flight of the locust was from the north and not from the west, as two years ago 

 (in 1874). 



Four weeks have now passed and the locust has not yet reached Lawrence, its east- 

 ern line being about 20 miles west of Lawrence, only about 100 miles farther east than 

 it was four weeks ago. This eastern line extends across the State from north to south, 

 the entire State west of this line having been visited. In many places the pest has 

 come in immense numbers, while in many other places there has been but a light 

 sprinkling. Little damage has been done thus far, almost none at all in comparison 

 with two years ago, it being so late in the season that the crops of this year were 

 secure. The fall-wheat, however, has been very generally eaten down, but has come 

 up again when drilled after the departure of the hordes which remain but a few days 

 in a place. Wheat sown broadcast has been generally killed, having been eaten down 

 to the kernel. The great danger to be feared now is the spring-hatching of the eggs 

 which have been deposited in varying abundance in the eastern part of the region 

 visited. It is agreed on all hands that the present visitation is far less numerous than 

 two years ago. The locusts are everywhere reported to be heavily parasitized by the 

 red mite and the Tachina fly. Can it be that these hordes are the ''spring hatch" 

 from Iowa, Minnesota, and Wyoming ? While in the South Park in July, I found great 

 numbers of young spretus along the streams from the mountain-sides. When on the 

 summit of Pike's Peak, July 28 and 29, the winged results were flying due east as high 

 up in the air as the eye could reach. They did not descend upon us at Manitou until 

 the 12th of August. (Packard's report in Hayden's Survey, 1875.) 



At Abilene locusts were observed August 24 and 25 going in a 

 southwest course, with the \vind moderate from the northeast. " Sep- 

 tember 2, 3, and 4 vast swarms flew north ; September 6 vast swarms 

 going northwest, the wind strong from the southeast. September 7, at 

 about 11 o'clock, the advance guard reached Abilene going due east, 

 with a strong gale, flying very low. They began falling at once, and 

 kept gradually changing their course until 1 p. m., when they went due 

 north and ceased flying at 2 p. m. The ground was alive with them, 

 and some of the citizens smoked them out of their gardens success- 

 fully. A thunder-storm reached us at 6 p. m., and the rain fell in tor- 

 rents until midnight. September 8 the locusts seemed more active 

 after the previous night's flood than was expected, as we supposed that 

 they were all drowned in the torrents of water that fell, and by 11 a. m. 

 the air was full of locusts flying so low that clouds of them could be 

 seen at a great distance in every direction. I have not seen such quan- 

 tities in six years' observation. On the 9th and 10th, after a rainy 

 night, the locusts in innumerable quantities left in a very strong cold 

 north wind. Afterward a few flew northward and westward, but the 

 bulk passed to the southward, and no flights were observed after the 

 26th, when the direction was due south." — (W. T. Davidson.) 



Mr. Gaumer states that the invading swarms in the autumn deposited 

 their e^gs in almost every available place throughout all the counties 

 of southeastern Kansas. 



1877. — Although much trouble was expected from the young locusts 

 this year, yet owing to the exceptionally wet and cold spring and early 

 summer, the young died soon after hatching, and did little local injury. 



