11 



the case, crops invariably suffered to a lesser or greater extent from 

 their depredations. These visitations were so limited in extent and 

 inconspicuous in their nature that but little attention was paid them 

 at the time. There were other insect enemies that were attracting no- 

 tice and required the attention of the planters, whose chief crop had 

 been cotton. The Cotton Worm (Aletia xylina) had so increased in 

 numbers as almost to render the growing of cotton an impossibility; 

 but, owing to the perseverance of those interested, that insect has at 

 last been reduced to such an extent as to be under control. Until 

 within the past three years these grasshopper or locust depredations 

 escaped popular notice (save during the visitation in the Fall of 1876 

 of the migratory species). Since this time, however, their increasing 

 numbers and frequent damage to crops have been too great to be over- 

 looked even by the most unobserving. They have appeared at widely 

 separated localities, and although not committing general injury are 

 known to have eaten away several of the outside rows of cotton and 

 corn in fields bordering waste lands and ravines grown up with weeds 

 and other rank vegetation. Not until last year, however, did the plague 

 reach such a magnitude as to cause alarm ; and this only after the 

 total destruction of crops upon plantations situated in different locali- 

 ties and in adjoining counties. 



Eeferring to notes taken while in the field, I find the following re- 

 marks : "There appear to be several species of the locusts which are 

 causing the trouble here, and all seem to have had similar egg-laying* 

 habits. In looking about I find the larvse of Melanoplus differentialis 

 or M. robustus, M. angustipennis, M. atlanis, and Acridium frontalis. The 

 last three species are in about equal numbers, while those of the first 

 are by far the most numerous, and this is the only one which is charged 

 with last year's depredations. I am not quite positive whether the large 

 species is 21. differentialis or M. robustus, as these two species are very 

 nearly related, and I have never seen authentic larvae of the latter. 

 To-day (April 23) I found an old specimen of a male robustns, and was 

 assured that it was one of the genuine offenders, while yesterday the 

 femora of differentialis were pointed out to me as having belonged to 

 c the very kind 7 ." 



During my sojourn in the infested region I observed M. athoiis, folly 

 fledged, quite frequently, while walking about the fields, while others, 

 with those of 21. angustipennis, were still in the pupal stage. These 

 latter, with those of Acridium frontalis, were exceedingly common, and 

 together nearly or quite equaled in number those of the larger species. 

 These three, while not always mingled with the former, were generally 

 to be found with them; especially was this the case upon rather damp 

 ground at the edges of ravines and grass patches, and also in fields of 

 small grain. 



While the Rocky Mountain or Migratory Locust prefers rather solid 

 soil upon somewhat elevated open fields and closely grazed pastures for 



