370 NATURE SKETCHES IN TEMPERATE AMERICA 



Michigan, at Cheltenham, Chicago. They had gathered in 

 numbers on some sand-binding grasses, weeds of various kinds, 

 and willow shrubs. They would fly wildly when disturbed, 

 the northeast wind which was blowing strongly at the time 

 carrying them inland with great velocity across the stretches 

 of waste ground. The difference in the color varieties was very 

 noticeable here; the majority of the females were plain reddish 

 brown, while the brownish and olive males, which had the 

 distinct median yellow stripe, predominated. As these were 

 brought together indiscriminately while mating, the contrast 

 in coloring was strikingly noticeable. Sexual selection is 

 obviously completely lacking here so far as choice in color- 

 pattern or markings is concerned. 



The distribution of this species, according to Scudder, is 

 the eastern United States, east of the Sierra Nevada Moun- 

 tains, to southern California. The scientific name of this 

 locust is Schistocerca alutacea. 



The Short-wing Brown Locust 



The quick-tumbling antics of the short- wing brown locust 

 are familiar to most of us who have studied insect behavior 

 in the meadows. This sprightly little locust may be found in 

 great numbers among the succulent grasses, sedges, and other 

 wild herbage. Commencing in July and extending through 

 September this locust gradually reaches the climax in point of 

 numbers. In the stretches of wet meadows and swales, it 

 it often forms a large percentage of the assemblage of spiders, 

 moths, flies, grasshoppers, and other insects that one may 

 find by using the sweep-net. 



South of Jackson Park, Chicago, I found the short-wing 

 brown locust, on June eighteenth, just reaching maturity; 

 the nymphs and adults were then about equal in numbers. 

 The accompanying photographic figures in the plate were 

 taken from four individuals found at this point. These Acrid- 

 ians did not jump about as actively at this time as they 

 did in the hot days of July and during fall. At Riverside, 

 Illinois, I have observed this species in the grassy openings 

 east of the Des Plaines River as late as October thirteenth. 



