APPENDIX XXV. REPORTS FROM MONTANA. [251] 



least were potatoes and pease. All these crops are protected from the yonng before they 

 obtain wings, by means of ditches filled with running water surronndiug the lielda. 

 These ditches are from 3 to 4 feet wide and 20 inches deep. As all the farm lauds in 

 Montana require irrigation, this process is universally adopted for protection against 

 grasshoppers, as well as drought. 



There are no means as yet known to prevent their devastation when they become 

 full Hedged. 



As yet but little is known here of the effects of wild or domestic fowls upon these 

 insects. Hens, turkeys, and many of the Avild species of fowls are known to prey upon 

 them, also a small ground-squirrel, quite numerous in the mountain region. But as 

 these squirrels are destructive to grains and vegetables, the farmers destroy them in 

 quantiti( s by poisons. I may add, in conclusion, there were no eggs deposited here 

 last season, consequently none are batchiug, but it is not improbable we shall have 

 immigrants during the month of July. 

 Respectfully submitted. 



JOHN PATTEN. 

 A. S. Packard, 



Salem, Mass. 



Fort Benton, Mont., 



August 4, 1877. 

 Sir : Respectfully referring to your circular No. 1, the following information is given 

 referring to this particnlar character : 

 Question 4. July 1 to 5. 

 Question 7. Soft, loamy, and alkali. 

 Question 8. Soft, loamy, alkali, and rolling prairies. 

 Questions 9 and 10 cannot be answered. 



The weather at time of hatching warm and moist, with occasional rain. 

 No swarms have yet api^eared iu this section, though they are reported 90 miles south, 

 of here iu large numbers, coming from the east. 

 I will communicate further in a couple of weeks. 

 Yours, resx)ectfully, 



O. O. MORTSON. 

 United States Entomological Commission, 



Saint Louis, Mo. 



November 6, 1877. 

 Sir : I am sorry that a number of specimens of grasshoppers which I had procured 

 to forward to you have, by fin untoward accideiit, been destroyed, leaving me only able 

 to rejdy to your circular No. 1. 



1. Was answered by me in my former communication. No swarms arrived here 

 since. 



2. August 13 and 14, moderate swarms ar; ived from east-southeast. They were mov- 

 ing generally from 11 a. m. to 4 p. m. Temperature about 85° or 90^ Fah., the air being 

 moist and warm. I conclude that the swarins arriviug here were only an offshoot from 

 the large swarms which arrived about that time south of us about 100 miles, the mount- 

 ain ranges having separated them. 



3. As far ns known to me, the mouth of July. 



4. The latter end of May. I found a new hatching took place the latter part of Sep- 

 tember, this being in the valleys of the Belt Mountains. 



. 5. The latter end of May and beginning of June. 



6. Unab'e to give the proportion, but it must be this year nearly cne-fourth, owing 

 to prevalence of wet weather last spring. 



7. Loose alkaline soil, generally on uplands. 



8. Loose alkaline soil, generally on uplands. 



9. Augus: 6 to 13. 



10. August 13. 



11. Cannot answer, as little agriculture is done in this section, 



15. Auswered before. 



16. None. 



17. None. 



18. Do not tnow of any. 



19. This section always has suffered more or less each year. This year it has been 

 lighter than usual, as the wet weather in spring retarded the hatching of the eggs and 

 enabled vegetation to obtain a more mature growth, and thus resist their ravages better. 

 Good crops are reported all through this section. 



21. Little visibly, owing to the large number of insects. By personal observation, 

 however, I conclude all the birds of this section make them their principal food. 



In connection with this report I would respectfully draw your attention to the great 

 change which the climate ot Montana has been undergoing for the past three years, 

 and which must exercise a vast influence on the production of this insect. In former 



