REPORT OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST I906 63 



under the same date, stated that a party of Wading River people, 

 who drove from that place through Coram to Patchogue, reported 

 that great numbers of this insect were crushed in the wheel ruts. 

 The underbrush and low trees were literally covered with cicadas 

 to such an extent that " it Was like grasshopper days out in the 

 prairies; the buzzing was deafening, one actually could not walk 

 along the ground without stepping on them." The Port Jefferson 

 Echo recorded the appearance of cicadas in the vicinity of that 

 village. These insects were reported by the same paper as being 

 very abundant at Saint James, and Mr George T. Lyman informed 

 me that they were present at Farmingville in the middle of the 

 island. Mr G. W. Raynor of Manorville, in the center of the 

 island, stated that these insects were abundant in that vicinity. The 

 New York Tribune of June 5 stated that cicadas were very 

 abundant about Eastport, and that millions of them were filling the 

 woods north of the village with their song. " The pests are said to 

 be more numerous than at any time since 1864, and in some places 

 they darken the air, hiding the sun. Persons driving along the 

 woodland roads have their horses and carriages covered with clouds 

 of the insects. In some localities they are so thick that men have 

 had to stop work." The Brooklyn Times of June 6 stated that large 

 numbers of the 17 year locust were seen in the woods north of 

 East Moriches. The insect was also reported in large numbers 

 from Center Moriches by Mr H. D. Smith. The Brooklyn Times 

 of June 21 reports having received specimens of this brood from 

 F. E. Nichols of Brentwood. There is a considerable area in the 

 vicinity of Oyster Bay infested by this brood. The Enterprise of 

 June 16 of East Moriches stated that these insects were drumming 

 incessantly in East Pine Hollow woods and added that 34 years 

 ago they appeared in the woods on the farm of Mr D. V. Horton 

 and 17 years ago there were less of them than formerly. Through 

 the enthusiastic cooperation of Mr F. E. Lutz, connected with the 

 Station for Experimental Evolution at Cold Spring Harbor, we are 

 enabled to present some detailed notes respecting the occurrence 

 of this insect in that vicinity. There is a colony near Cold 

 Spring Harbor at Laurelton, which does not extend west 

 quite to Brookville. Another colony has its center near East 

 Moriches, stragglers from this joining with the Laurelton 

 infestation. About a mile south of Commack Mr Lutz found a 

 pupal skin, and a few feet away, the battered remains of an adult. 

 Careful searching failed to reveal others and none were heard. 



