CHRONOLOGY: NEBRASKA, 1867-1875. 75 



other frontier settlements. That the invasion was widespread is evi- 

 denced by the widespread abundance of the youog the followiug spring. 



1867. — This was also a notable locust year, the whole State being 

 more or less afflicted, the young being abundant and destructive in the 

 spring, and in the summer fresh swarms comiug from the northwest. 

 From Walsh's First Illinois Eeport, we learn that in May, about Omaha, 

 the young hatched out by the million, from eggs which were "deposited 

 over the whole face of the country, from the lower part of Cass County, 

 clear through the southern part of Kansas." Early in June a storm in 

 the country south of the Platte, rid that region of the young, the work 

 of destruction having been farther carried on by black birds, plover and 

 other birds. Late in August, and in the autumn, there were heavy in- 

 vasions from the northwest in the Missouri Yalley. 



1868. — The young hatched from eggs laid in the previous summer ; 

 hatched out in large numbers all over the State, many hatched late in 

 May, but throughout the spring millions were killed by heavy rains and 

 some few by birds. (Bruner). Ii^J^evertheless, extensive damage was 

 done by them. 



1869. — Although there are no records at hand regarding locust inva- 

 sions this year, yet as the insects occurred in abundance in Iowa and 

 Kansas, they must have been more or less destructive in Nebraska. 



1873. — After an interval of four years, swarms of locusts appear from 

 the west and northwest and overrun Nebraska as well as the adjoining 

 States. In Adams County a considerable flight of locusts passed north- 

 wardly May 19th or 20th, remained till the 25th or 26th, when they 

 rose and flew north, doing but little injury. In the autumn a number 

 of swarms passed southward, but did slight mischief. 



1874. — This was the most calamitous locust year in Nebraska, as well 

 as throughout the West, beyond the 94th meridian. Not only did the 

 young locusts hatch in great numbers, but also swarms of unusual extent 

 swept over the State and proved more destructive than at any year pre- 

 vious or succeeding. It is to be observed that this was an exceptionally 

 dry and hot summer, locusts always abounding in dry springs and sum- 

 mers. The entire State from a point about thirty miles from the JMissouri 

 Eiver, west, was more or less devastated, the extreme western i:)ortion 

 entirely so. (Governor Furnas). Swarms arrived on or about July 21, 

 remaining about ten days, time enough for them to devour the corn crop 

 and deposit their eggs by the million. 



1875. — The locusts hatched remarkably late (about May 20th from eggs 

 laid in the previous summer, principally in the district immediately bor- 

 dering on the Missouri Eiver, and a comparatively small area suffered 

 from the attacks of the young. *' The populous and highly cultivated 

 counties of Nemaha, Eichardson, and Otoe were most severely ravaged. 

 Before these locusts acquired their wings, swarms from the south in a 

 northward direction over the State, cause some trouble and anxiety in the 

 following counties: Saunders, Washington, Douglas, Buffalo, Pawnee, 



