76 REPORT UNITED STATES ENTOMOLOGICAL COMMISSION. 



Clay, and Barton. The loss, however, to the State at large did not 

 amount to five per cent." (Riley's eighth report.) 



1876. — Another invasion of the State in Augast of this year, resulted 

 in the northeast counties in the loss of one-half of the corn crop, while 

 the western half of the State, particularly in the valleys of the Elkhorn, 

 Platte, and Eepublican Elvers, suffered a good deal. Eggs were laid 

 over the eastern part of the State, but less extensively in the western 

 portion. (Eiley's ninth report). By some good observers, the invasion 

 of 1876 was considered as calamitous as that of 1874, and it is to be 

 noted that the summer of 1876 was extremely hot and dry, the prevail- 

 ing winds south and hot, much as ia 1874. The year ended with bad 

 prospects for 1877, the ground all over the State being well seeded with 

 locust-eggs. 



1877.— The early and late spring and early summer being unusually 

 wet and cold, multitudes of the young locusts were killed, lying upon 

 the surface of the ground so thick that they could in places be picked up 

 in handfuls. Happily, owing to these favorable meteorological causes 

 so unlike those of the previous year and 1874, the amount of damage 

 done was comparatively slight and an unusually large wheat and corn 

 crop was raised raised in this State as well as throughout the Mississippi 

 Valley States. Owing to the same cause in the northwest, and the fact 

 that few eggs were laid in the larger portions of Montana, Dakota, and 

 Wyoming, as well as in British America, there was no invasion of locusts 

 late in the summer, from the Eocky Mountain region, leaving excellent 

 prospects for an immunity from their attacks in 1878. Light swarms 

 moved into or across the State from the south in June, and local 

 swarms were observed in August. 



The following statements received from our correspondents will give 

 an idea of these local flights : 



A small flight passed over Franklin County, as early as May 17,. flying northwest, 

 and another over Butler County, May 19, flying north. A heavy swarm passed over 

 Agallala and adjacent counties, during May 26, 27, and 28, the direction being northwest. 

 They were seen sparsely flying in the same direction on various occasions until the mid- 

 dle of June, when extensive flights were again reported, especially over Butler and 

 Platte counties. During the latter part of June and first part of July the insects 

 were rising and leaving every day when the weather was favorable, or the wind from 

 the south or southeast. 



On and after August 6, they began at Geneva, Platte County, to "go 

 south and southwest in swarms, which continued daily, whenever the wind 

 was favorable, for over a month. They showed no disposition to alight^ 

 except when compelled to do so by opposing winds.'' At Salem, "fresh 

 swarms were seen to pass over this point on the 8th and 9th of August, 

 and light swarms continued to fly as late as the 2oth of August." At 

 Steele, Jefferson County, from the 13th to the 23d of September a good 

 many locusts passed over, mostly from the northeast. At Pleasant 

 Hill, Saline County, "large swarms passed over from the northeast, 

 undoubtedly from Northwestern Iowa, Southern Minnesota, and South- 



