6 BULLETIN 293, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Under high prevailing wind conditions the grasshoppers will seek 

 the windward side of any available shelter, there to remain until the 

 wind has ceased or considerably abated. 



FEEDING HABITS. 



The major portion of the feeding takes place during the early 

 morning hours and the last part of the afternoon, although intermit- 

 tent feeding is indulged in throughout the day. Under favorable 

 weather conditions the approximate hours of feeding are from day- 

 light until 8 or 9 o'clock in the forenoon, and from 3 to 4 o'clock until 

 sundown during the afternoon. Apparently little or no feeding 

 takes place during the night. The foliage may be entirely devoured 

 or irregular patches cut out from the margin of the leaves. The 

 stems or stalks may be partly or entirely girdled and cut off. 



FOOD PLANTS. 



Grama grass (BouteJoua oligost achy 'a), buffalo grass (BuZbUis dac- 

 tyloides), and mesquite grass (Bouteloua hirsuta) are by preference 

 the most relished food plants of this species. Fields of maize, kafir 

 corn, and millet were completely devastated. Millet is in all instances 

 a most desirable food plant. Mr. Hobson, of Elida, informed the 

 writer that he noted the grasshoppers massing in 5 acres of millet on 

 his farm, and in less than 30 minutes every plant had been eaten to 

 the ground. Sorghum, is fed upon to a slight extent, but is seldom 

 disturbed if other more desirable food plants are readily available. 



Truck crops in the infested area were entirely defoliated, including 

 the following plants: Cultivated mustard, radish, lettuce, squash, 

 sweet potato, young white potato (old plants seldom disturbed), 

 tomato, sweet corn, and immature onion plants. 



Under certain conditions Eussian thistle (Sal sola tragus) is read- 

 ily fed upon, and slight feeding upon soapweed (Chlorogdlum pom- 

 eridianum) has been noted. 



Though S. J. Hunter has recorded this species as being abundant 

 in part of a 320-acre tract of alfalfa in western Kansas during 1898, 

 nymphs of this species forwarded to the "Wellington, Kans., labora- 

 tory, and confined in a Comstock cage placed over alfalfa plants, 

 failed to display any desire for feeding upon this plant, the nymphs 

 ultimately dying from apparent starvation. 



PREDACIOUS ENEMIES. 



Among the more important bird enemies noted to be feeding upon 

 grasshoppers during this invasion were the desert horned lark (Oto- 

 coris alpestris leucolaema) . western meadowlark (SturneJla neglecta), 



