LOCAL FLIGHTS IN 1877. 169 



Saint Peter, Nicollet County : Very thick, and most of them very high ; all go south- 

 east. 



Le Sueur, Le Sueur County : Passed over to south in greater numbers than at any 

 previous time ; were at a great height, and the sun was almost darkened by the im- 

 mense mass. 



Le Sueur Centre, Le Sueur County : Heavy flight to south ; some few dropped near 

 night on some farms. 



Waterville, Le Sueur County: All left from all around here and went south; none 

 lit. 



Morristown, Rice County : Fly little west of south ; more than ever before. Went 

 oast in large numbers ; most of those hatched here went with them. 



Blue Earth City, Faribault County : Clouds fly over, south ; only a few stopped in 

 this vicinity. 



Winnebago City, Faribault County: "Air full from 9 o'clock a. m. to 6 o'clock p. m. 

 Fly southeast. Began to fly at 9.30 a little east of south, with good breeze — dense num- 

 bers as the eye could see. Flew till 3 o'clock."— [Pioweer Press. "Alighted quite 

 thick." — IDespatch. 



Alden, Freeborn County : Left here, and the air was full, thicker than I ever saw 

 before, flying from 11 a. m. to 3 p. m.; wind north-northeast; some commence to 

 couple. 



Freeborn, Freeborn County : Began to fly at 11 a. m. Go southeast to east. Air full 

 till 4 o'clock. Some alight, but none leave. 



Albert Lea, Freeborn County : Fly south at 11 a. m. Strong wind. 



Geneva, Freeborn County : First flight left here in large numbers, to southeast. 



IOWA. 



Algona, Kossuth County : A large number are said to have alighted around Algona. 

 Carroll City, Carroll County : Large swarms fly over to southeast for two hours. 

 Dakota City, Humboldt County : Weather clear, wind northwest. Hoppers fly south- 

 east in afternoon, some alighting. 



The record of the 3d contains reports from sixty-five different points, 

 scattered over Minnesota, Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska, and Kansas 5 that 

 of the 20th, from seventy different points. As a matter of course, the 

 record of each day during the flying season is not so full as these two, 

 yet quite a number embrace as many points, and a few days perhaps more. 

 At the commencement, the reports are few and scattering, and as we 

 approach the close of the season they again decrease in number. Dur- 

 ing the entire season, something like two thousand reports in reference 

 to flights east of the mountains have been received. 



A careful study of the record of these two days here given will reveal 

 several important facts 5 and as an illustration of our method of using 

 this material, we call attention to some things to be learned therefrom. 



That of the 3d, although relating to an area extending from Central 

 Kansas to Northern Minnesota, shows that the flights at all points, ex- 

 cept two, were in the direction of the northwest quarter of the compass, 

 varying from north to a little south of west, the variation from a north 

 course being greatest in parts of Minnesota and Dakota. It also shows 

 that in every instance where the direction of the wind is noticed the 

 flight is with the wind j and in one case, at Manannah, Meeker County, 

 Minnesota, where there were upper and lower currents moving in differ- 



