SUMMARY OF FLIGHTS FOR 1877. 173 



ably the turoing ground of the swarms blown back and forth north- 

 west and southeast across Minnesota during the middle and latter part 

 of the summer. 



Minnesota and BaJcota. — As the flights in this State and Territory are 

 intimately connected, and have been studied together, we will give a 

 summary of them together. 



In reference to these our records are very full and complete, owing to 

 the fact that Professor Whitman, who was our assistant for Minnesota, 

 had been studying the locust problem for some years previous to 1877, 

 and had arranged a system of correspondence which enabled him to 

 obtain daily accounts during the flying-season from every locust- visited 

 county in Minnesota, as well as from some of the adjoining counties of 

 Dakota. 



The first swarms observed in Minnesota, of which we have any defi- 

 nite account, were seen June 5 in Stearns and Blue Earth Counties flying 

 southeast. On the 9th, swarms were seen in Brookings County, Dakota, 

 and Nicollet, Eamsey, and Benton Counties, Minnesota, flying southeast. 

 On the 14th and 15th, the wind changed, and those from the south be- 

 gan to pass over the southwest corner of Minnesota and southeast corner 

 of Dakota. But even at the risk of being considered somewhat prolix 

 in this part of our report, we will introduce here Professor Whitman's 

 very interesting summary of the flights in this State and Territory: 



There was a considerable flight over some of the eastern counties of Dakota about 

 June 10. A very few alighted in Becker County (Audubon) and remained there, and 

 were seen coupling about July 1. 



About June 16 and 17 there was a heavier flight northward across some of the south- 

 eastern counties of Dakota. At one point it was two and a half days in passing. It 

 also extended, but not heavily, over points in Nobles (as far east as Worthington), 

 Rock, Murray, and Lyon Counties, over Morris and Fergus Falls. Some of these reached 

 the Northern Pacific Railroad, in Dakota, at Worthington, Jamestown, and Bismarck. 

 These two flights were undoubtedly from some southern hatching-grounds. 



Our own hatch flew with daily increasing numbers and in various directions from 

 about June 22d to the 26th, 27th, and 28th, on which days there was a quite extensive 

 flight to the southeast. This extended mostly alon^ the Saint Paul and Pacific Eailroad 

 and the Minnesota River, but was also extensive over Saint Cloud. 



June 29 and 30 were unfavorable days for flying, or rather for observing flights, and 

 the records are fewer. 



July 1 was a most favorable day for flying. As the wind was generally very slight 

 and changeable, the directions taken vary a great deal. Reports from forty-one points 

 give flights in nine different directions, some moving in no particular direction, and 

 others moving in opposite directions in different parts of the day. 



Jxily 2. — Fewer swarms observed, going generally east and southeast. 



July 3. — Flying northwest, west, and a little south of west at forty-eight points. 

 "Wind generally light, and sv/arms flying very high. Movement extensive from the 

 Iowa line to Pope and Grant Counties on the north, and to Marshfield and Ortou- 

 ville on the west, where flying swarms appeared for the first time. 



July 4, 5, and 6. — Very nearly a repetition of July 3. The alighting of parts of these 

 westward flights on these four days, from Morris over into Dakota, was stated at the 

 time in the Pioneer Press, and seems to be the only continued alighting occurring in 

 any movement that has taken place so far. 



July 7. — Wind changing to northwest. Very few flights reported in any direction. 



