APPENDIX VIII. RECORD KEPT BY PROF. AUGIIEY, 1877. [119] 



By examining the ground closely -with a glass found thousands of dead ones, shriv- 

 eled up and merging with the soil, not merely the cast off cuticles, but the entire locust. 

 Probable cause of death, either cool nights, want of food, or lack of constitutional 

 vigor. 



Lincoln, Sunday, April 15,1877. — Temperature at 9 a. m., 59"^ F. ; at 12 m., 70"^ F.; 

 at 2 p. m., 80^^ F. in shade, and sheltered. lu wind much higher; wind from south- 

 west. 



Locusts hatched out to-day in unprecedented numbers. Wherever there were eggs 

 locusts seemed to swarm out. Ground in many places covered with them. Some 

 places the ground seemed white with the newly-born locusts. 



Examined the eggs that I had exposed in South Lincoln and east of the Antelope 

 and found them partially dried and shriveled up. Judging from these experiments 

 the laying bare of eggs will, if left exposed, destroy them. Some few live ones are 

 eating jirairie-grass east of the Antelope. 



I learn from a few persons who have come up by buggy from Beatrice that the lo- 

 custs come out of the ground there by the countless millions — ground white with them 

 and all the way between this and Beatrice. They cover the lower trunks of trees and 

 the grass in spots being destroyed by them. 



Lincoln, Montlaij, April 16, 1877. — Temperature at 9 a. m., 50'^ F. ; at 12 m., 69° F. ; 

 at 2 p. m., 71^ F. Southwest wind still blowing. Cloudy and sultry. Locusts still 

 hatching out. Ground still, in places, alive with them. Have observed them eating 

 grass on the prairie south of the capitol. Many clustering, moving south. Went into 

 the country seven miles south of the penitentiary and found them at work on the 

 wheat. 



To-night a terrific hail and rain-storm, with loud thunder and intense lightning, 

 occurred. Ground flooded and still warm. 



Lincoln, Tuesday, April 17, 1877. — Ground this morning very wet. Many low places 

 are still, and more must have been, under water last night. 



Temi^erature at 9 a. m., 58° F. ; at 12 m., 68° F. ; at 2 p. m., 71° F. ; southwest wind. 



At 2 p. m. went south of town. Locusts lively. Saw many drowned and dead ones 

 in low places. Locusts eating prairie-grass and the borders ©f some fields. Stillmany 

 more are coming out. 



Lincoln, Wednesday, April 18, 1877. — Rained hard to-day. Some severe claps of 

 thunder. In the evening, east of Lincoln, found thousands of locusts floating. Found 

 few live ones. They seemed to be hid away under stems, bushes, dead and live grass. 

 None hatching out to-day. 



Temperature at 9 a. m'., 48° F. ; 12 m., 60° F.; at 2 p. m., 64° F. 



Lincoln, Thursday, Ajrril 19, 1877. — Temperature at 9 a. m., 50°F.; at 12 m., 62° 

 F.; at 2 p.m., 68° F. 



After dinner found thousands of dead locusts east of the Antelope. Difficult to find 

 from their minuteness and the grass. Used a large glass. Could not estimate the 

 number and per cent, of dead ones; probably 10 per cent, of those that had hatched 

 out up to this time. Those not dead generally lively, but some seemed sick. Saw 

 some again eating prairie-grass. Still moving southward. Hear of them commencing 

 on wheat-fields up the valley — Oak Creek. 



Lincoln, Friday, April 20, 1877. — Temperature at 9 a. m., 49° F.; 12 m , 64° F. ; 2 p. 

 m., 65° F. 



Many locusts hatched out again, to-day. Five miles south of Lincoln, where great 

 numbers were reputed to be found, only vast numbers of dead ones in spots. Am 

 more and more convinced that their dying is caused by lack of constitutional vigor. 



Saturday, April 21, 1877. — Temperature at 9 a. m., 48° F.; 12 m., 66° F.; 2 p. m., 

 70° F. 



Locusts hatched out to some extent to-day. In examining the nests, found that the 

 under ones came out first. They still keep in bunches. Though many have died and 

 many still dying, their numbers not sensibly diminished. Above the salt basins west 

 of Lincoln found a great number of half-rotten and half-hatched-out nests. 



At noon started for Omaha. Found locusts in spots along the road at stations, hut 

 comparatively few in numbers. Along the Bluffs at Bellview, twelve miles from 

 Omaha, found many nests of half-rotten eggs. 



At Omaha, went west of town as far as Popellion hottom. Here on the bottom found 

 90 per cent, of the eggs spoiled; above the bottom found only about 10 percent, 

 spoiled on some old breaking, where the eggs averaged about 1,000 to a square foot. 



Omaha, Sunday, April 22, 1877.— Went south of Omaha. Locusts in spots. Found 

 many unhatched nests of eggs, some rotten and some sound ; prohably 50 per cent. 

 rotten on low land and about 10 per cent, on upland. Evidently low, wet land the 

 most unhealthy for them. 



Lincoln, May 2, 1877.— On my return to-day from the east, with wife and child, saw 

 nothing of note until I arrived at Waverly. Here, a few rods from the station, found 

 a large number of locusts just hatched. Many were, from some cause, harely able to 

 move, and others apparently dying. Could not ascertain the cause. 



