PPENDIX XXV. REPORTS FROM DAKOTA. [247] 



That part of the Territory of whicb I am treating, the southeastern, np to the mid- 

 dle of July, gave glorious promise of abundant harvests. In my travels I observed 

 fields such as I had never seen before for their richness. All kinds of grain seemed to 

 promise the heaviest possible yield. We in our settlement, having suifered consider- 

 able loss from the young 'hoppers, yet hoped for such abundance near us that we 

 could get supplies without distress. During the last half of July iuimense swarms of 

 locusts were observed, and at tbe last (I have not the date, but about the last of July) 

 the enemy swooped down ou those magniticent fields, and they melted away like frost 

 before the morning sun. In the extreme south part of the Territory some wheat was 

 saved by early ripening. Wherever the grain had so far matured as to make it seem 

 possible to save any, reapers and harvesters were run day and night. The net result 

 was an average of about one-half a crop saved, but of immature grain, and therefore 

 of inferior quality. Grain in the bins would be a strange-looking mixture of mutilated 

 and dissected 'hoppers. 



In this connection may be put the report I made to you of the geographical deposit 

 of eggs during that year. My reports will then cover all that I am able to give dur- 

 ing this year, except to answer your question, as to how far the hatching region jiroved 

 to coincide with the repotted egg region. 



I have not been able to get as full information as I desired on this point. If you 

 can refer to the map I sent you, you will observe that the line commences in Moody 

 County, and making southwesterly, strikes the Missouri River not far from Spring- 

 field. The hatching in general would on its northwestern boundary be marked by the 

 same line. Moody, Minnehaha. Turner, Hu chinson, Yankton, and I think also Bon- 

 homme Counties, had some experience with young locusts last spring. Lincoln and 

 Clay and Union I am not able to report. Methods were invented, and '' 'hopper dozers" 

 were used quite extensively, and with good results. The 'hoppers did hatch, but have 

 not been able to do much in the way of damage. In fact, it seems almost as thougli 

 the difficulty were solved by human ingenuity. Persistent attacks on young locusts 

 as were made last spring, with the united^forces of all interested, oughc to be a safe- 

 guard for the future. 



The general conduct of the locusts during the past summer has been curious in mv 

 view. In this part of the Territory only here and there an occasional field has suffered. 

 The farm across the lake from mine, which has heretofore escaped, had a visit, with 

 only slight loss, however, this yeir. A field of oats about one and one-half miles 

 northwest of my place was so far destroyed as to make it a total loss, for it would not 

 pay to harvest. la a settlement in the northern part of Brookings County, in one 

 field and one garden considerable damage was done. In Minnehaha County the same 

 conduct was observed. The cases of damage were sj)oradic, in some places a field 

 totally lost, and some only slightly damaged.— [G. S. Coddingtou, Dell Rapids, Minne- 

 haha County, Dakota, December 10, 1877. 



Sir: In compliance with your request, I send a report of my observations during 

 the present season, made at this place, uiDon the Caloptenus spreius, or Rocky Mountain 

 locust. 



There were no eggs deposited here in 1876, consequently no young insects hatched 

 here. 



The first seen flying were, in small numbers, observed June 20, at about 11 a. m. ; the 

 wind, a moderate breeze, blowing from the southeast. Their course was with the 

 wind to the northwest. On the following day they were seen in slightly increased 

 numbers flying in the same direction and generally with the wind. A few alighted, 

 but on the 22d they had all left, having done no damage to cro]ps; in fact they did not 

 seem inclined to eat anything. 



Ou the 21st July they were again seen qaite high, and flj ing with the wind toward 

 the northwest ; and, occasionally, one alighting. On the following day they were 

 seen in greater numbers, their course, as well as the direction of the wind, being from 

 southeast to northwest. They did not seem to alight on the night between the 21st 

 and 22d, but on the morning of the 23d they were found on the ground in consider- 

 able numbers. 



24^h. — Flying northwest and high. 



25th. — The same, but more numerous. 



26th, 27th, and 28t.h. — Flying in the same direction, but many alighting, especially 

 on the 28th, when the wind was blowing from northwest toward southeast. 



From this time to the 7th of August they were seen daily, and in about the same 

 numbers, their general course being northwest, though occasionally they were seen 

 flying east or southeast with the wind, and sometimes they were moving in different 

 directions at diflerent altitudes, when the currents of wind were moving in that 

 manner. From the 7th to the 11th they kept decreasing, until, on the latter date, they 

 Lad all disappeared, none to be seen either flying or on the ground. 



When on the ground they ate nothing, and not more than 1 X)er cent, paired, and no 

 eggs were deposited. Red parasites were found upon many of those caught in the 

 latter part of July and first week in August. 



